IT IS A BIG DEAL!

Our daughter graduated from college this past weekend. We will continue to celebrate her excellent four-year tour at Oral Roberts University. She finished with Honors, Summa Cum Laude from the best elementary education program in the country. As you know, from following tweets or Facebook, we are very proud and so pleased for her. She worked hard. Very hard.

Nicole has exemplified these verses in Proverbs (23:22-25): “Listen to your father, who gave you life, and don’t despise your mother when she is old “ (I’m sure she won’t when I am). "Get the truth and never sell it; also get wisdom, discipline, and good judgment. The father of godly children has cause for joy. What a pleasure to have children who are wise. So give your father and mother joy! May she who gave you birth be happy!”

Every part of this graduation has been full of joy . . . probably more for her than anyone! But I can say that in this transition in her life, we have no regrets, no tears, no looking back. She is completing everything the Lord has for her . . . right on time, step after step. It is fun to watch, actually.

In some ways, we are amazed at how quickly these four years have come and zipped by. But so thankful for the depth of the experiences.

Parents, encourage your kids to keep moving toward the goal . . . to keep on learning, pushing, dreaming. This generation sees and knows things we have not been programmed to see the same way. They have answers for their generation (and some for ours too).

We are raising some smart, intuitive, discerning kids. They have been empowered to change some things. You are doing a good job if they think they can.

And they really can.

Congratulations to our son who is now a College Sophomore – and again to Nicole. She’s a great elementary school teacher – and we are all looking forward to meeting her first students!

Moms, Do not allow college to be heart wrenching!

As surprising as it is, I am at the place in my family life that our kids are going to college and planning to go to college! (Yes, that makes two kids). Our daughter is a junior at ORU and our son is a high school senior.

I may have said before, we have enjoyed every day of being parents – yes, every day… maybe just a few minutes of some days . . . but our kids have created a WONDERFUL family experience. Parenting is the most rewarding thing we continue to do… We have the pictures to prove it.

And yet … the daily part of parenting must come to an end. It must … or you will become one of those moms who has children who never leave home, never fully understand the necessity of independence, never assume the role of responsibility, and then have no concept of what it means to “leave mother and father and cleave to a spouse.”

Moms! Don’t you want your kids to have those accomplishments? The satisfaction of being “grown up?” Of course you do.

It starts today.

No matter what age your children are – whether they are going into Kindergarten for the first time, junior high, senior year or . . . or yes, even possibly moving away to college.

Your children need to see in real life--- in your real life --- that God is big enough to handle YOUR emotions, to handle changes, to give you peace AND JOY in your journey of parenting them through their journeys.

Do not force your kids to feel sorry for you because this next big thing is so “heart wrenching.” Do not give your children any reason to worry or be concerned about you because of where they are going. God is so Able, so Completing, so Enough.

Your faith in your own future gives your kids the courage to face their futures. Be that example. Show your kids that the Holy Spirit, alive in you, is well able to walk you through whatever comes next.

Now on the practical side, it’s time to save all the small care package boxes you can find. Send a box at least once a month fully of silly goodies. Send a card or a letter once a week. It’s a funny thing – but this generation of Tweeps and Facebookers become avid fans of Snail Mail in college. (This happens on Day One!)

And the God of peace --- which transcends our understanding, will guard your heart and your mind!

Ask me how I know!