eighteen

as i look through family photos spanning these 18 years since our daughter was born, i feel a bit like i'm in a dream.  it's surreal to remember life with newborns, toddlers and toothless first graders.  some of the memories are fuzzy while others are so vivid, it seems like they just happened yesterday.   and i think as parents, brian and i are simultaneously feeling really pretty great about the future... and utterly, overwhelmingly, unprepared for it.  how on earth did we get here so fast? when did life get away from us? where did all the time go? what if we forgot to tell her something vitally important!?

i think i may spend the next several months processing this! nothing really prepares you for any real life situation as does actually living through said situation.  so here we are... with one kid off and married and the second (the proverbial baby) on the precipice...wings spread...

and they are beautiful, beautiful wings.  the very last thing i ever want to do is clip them.  i'd be proud and excited and supportive of ANYTHING my kids felt deeply passionate about and desired to pursue... but i think it goes without saying that as each of our offspring have chosen music related ministry as their life's work, well, i'm sure you can imagine how i feel about that.

izzi has grown so much in such a short amount of time... as a young woman, a leader, a vocalist, a guitar player, a musician.   a pastor-friend of mine recently told me that "as parents our ceiling is our kid's floor".  in essence, they start where we leave off.  we pray that our opportunities and lessons will serve to pave the way for our kids. we hope that they will learn from our mistakes, and not make the same ones.   izzi is already so far ahead of where i was at her age... i know God has exponentially more to do in her and accomplish through her.  my job is to pray for her continued obedience and surrender.

it's an absolute joy to watch her unfurl her wings, getting a feel for them... watching as her wingspan extends and fans out.  i'm thrilled to get to fly next to her for a while as we explore LEGACY and go on the adventure of ministry to women together.  and then.... when the time comes for her to fly on ahead, faster and higher.... it will be my thrill to watch from the heights.

Isaiah 40:31

"...those who hope in the LORD

will renew their strength.

 they will soar on wings like eagles; 

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint."