College...neat bedrooms...and love

        About a week ago, our son, Preyer, was playing tee ball at the Salvation Army--

        Then, when I turned my head away for a moment, he was suddenly in elementary school and wrestling with his brothers in our front yard (Preyer's the one in the middle)--

        And then, foolish mama that I am (though I'd been warned time and again), I looked away for another millisecond, and it was time to pack him up for college.  Suddenly, our busy, noisy, messy home of seven...has become a terribly quiet and much neater home of three.  I walked upstairs to his room and have never ever seen it so clean--beds made, clothes put away, books shelved, and no papers, ipod, phone charger, golf hats, or gum wrappers on the floor.
        So clean...and I'm wondering why I ever could have gotten upset about messy bedrooms.
        But here's the thing: a few years back, God gave us an enormous gift in Janie's accident that has helped prepare us for these hard moments.  For we learned then that each day, each moment, is precious and never-to-be-repeated.  When Janie left to go to the lake that day, I had been distracted, talking on the phone, and so I failed to tell her I love her.  I've made plenty of mistakes as a parent (in fact, that's a huge understatement), but never again have I failed to tell my children I love them whenever we say goodbye--whether for an hour or a month.  "I love you...salt and light, make a difference."  Pretty much every time, every child, year after year.
        Because people are precious, life is short, but God is big.
        So for the last several years, messy bedrooms haven't bothered me.  Almost never do they cause me to fuss and fume.
         I can make a bed and gather clothes from the floor...I can't make a moment or gather lost time with those I love.  While we have them...we need to love them with all our hearts...even with all their--and our--imperfections.
        Like Michelangelo's unfinished statutes I talked about the other day--those we love are slowly being formed into God's masterpieces...but we need eyes to see and hearts to love, trust, forgive, encourage, and help them along the way.  So don't waste so much time and attention on the minor stuff that won't matter a hill of beans in few years.  Yes, we need to train and teach our children...but more importantly we need to love and treasure them, for we will not have them forever.  And when we look at their empty rooms after they've left for college, we won't be focused on their neatness but on their preciousness.  
       Preyer's battered old car all packed up this morning, we prepared to head to college--

       Moved his stuff into the dorm room--

      And ate one more lunch with him and some dear friends, the Pages, before we headed back home and left our priceless, irreplaceable gift of Preyer at college.

       Lots of tears...but lots of thankfulness.  Thank You, Father, for the joyous privilege of knowing, raising and loving this young man.  Thank You that he loves You and seeks to bring You glory with his life.  Thank You for allowing imperfect, sinless, often clueless parents like us, enjoy the happy wonder of raising children.  Wow, might we never get over the gift of that!
      Thank You that our children are doing exactly what You've called them to do--grow up, leave our little nest, and fly out into the world to make a difference for You.  Oh Father, please protect them, guide them, guard them, strengthen them, encourage them, and use them to show the world Your greatness and Your glory.
       Most of all, thank You, thank You, thank You for allowing me to be their mama.  Got to quote him once again, old, wise Dr. Suess: "Don't cry because it's over...smile because it happened."  And by the way--it's not over till we get to heaven...and then it will really be just beginning!  So keep loving, treasuring, savoring, and smiling.
       To God be the glory.