Ready or Not....

Have you ever noticed that life marches on whether we're ready or not?  New technologies replace the "old" at breakneck speed.  Our children grow and become adults before our eyes.  We "slow down" even with all our attempts to keep the pace.  Loved ones move on -- to other places or to the ultimate other places.  Occasionally, even for the guy who loves change, it can be a bit overwhelming. 

We're now just five weeks from "releasing" Abby to the college years.  Inside, I know she's ready.  I'm not sure I am.  Over the summer she's been doing more and more independent activities: a trip to Kings Island with her best friend, Maggie, an upcoming trip to the beach with some of her friends; regular evenings out with friends and graduation parties; playing basketball with her soon to be college team in a summer league on the South Side.  As Nancy and I watch Abby make good decisions in the midst of all the options, we're grateful to God for answering our daily prayers for her since before she was conceived!  At the same time, there's that urge to protect and provide that never leaves as a parent.  My mother used to tell me, "Your children are always your children."  I'm learning first hand, now, what that means.  As I reflect on it and pray through it, the reality comes home:  ready or not life goes on.  That means we need to do all we can do to be ready, and trust God's guiding hand for whatever comes.  I'm so grateful to know that even though the future is unknown to me, the one who knows it loves us and desires our good infinitely more than we desire our own.  With that foundation, how much easier to be ready.......even when think we're not!