On a day when people are fascinated by the date 11/11/11 and release big video games, movies, new phones and more, there is another reason our family has been looking forward to (or dreading) 11/11/11 - Kirsten turns 13. Yep, now I am a father of an official teenage girl. (Please pray for me!)
Where did the time fly by? What happened to it? Why did it go so fast? I tried and tried to hold on to it, but it just kept slipping away. I suppose all one can really do is take it for what it is and instead of grabbing and holding on to it, savor each bite, each juicy morsel, like the best steak you have ever eaten, but know you will never have again.
Yes, I do admit, as a dad this day comes with a bit of sadness, for that little girl I held in my arms, who played dress up, who sang "You've got a friend in me" from Toy Story with me, and who held my hand in the store seems to have slipped way. It is truly hard to explain unless you are a father who has gone through it yourself. (Yeah, I know college and marriage are coming. Don't anybody remind me!) So, I would be lying if I didn't say this was a day I was not looking forward to...
but...
...it is also a day I have been looking forward to. To watch and see her grow into the young woman God is forming her to be, to see those sparks of the fruits of the spirit come out in her life, to see the glimpses of a young woman taking responsibility for herself and finding a confidence that is supplied by her Savior. Yes, these are worth looking forward to.
My wife and I have not been blessed by the Lord with the ability to have invested in the stocks, or mutual funds, or 401k programs or such. But I can guarantee you that we have been investing for many, many years in something that will pay more valuable returns than anything Wall Street has to offer...our children. The greatest investment any of us can make is in our families, our marriages, and in our children or grandchildren. The dividends pay off for generations. Don't believe me check the Bible to see the difference between those who invest and those who do not.
I could have probably been more involved in pursuing more opportunities within our church body, or even more education, or setting up more and more programs at our local church being gone every night of the week, but I made a decision a long time ago and I plan on sticking to it. God has given the wonderful gift of being a husband and a father, two huge responsibilities that have and will continue to be top priorities in my life. Do people recognize my name throughout the state in our church body? Probably not. Am I involved in every aspect and every meeting and every single thing that happens at our church?Not there either. Is there a ton of money in our bank account or savings? Nope, but enough that the Lord provides all we need.
I do pray, that the time, energy, effort and money poured into the investment of my now teenage daughter will bear much fruit. By the power of the Holy Spirit working within her heart, by what God has done and continues to do, I can rest confident that my mistakes, my faults, my issues as a sinful father will be covered over by Christ and His work.
So yes, some sadness, but also anticipation, joy and excitement as my wife and I learn how to start to let her go, to watch be her own person, and yet still try to be the best parents we can relying on the promises of a Heavenly Father who has shown us what it means to be a dad.
I wish I could come up with a word that sums up the joy, the pain, the sadness, the ups, the downs, of all of this. Oh yeah, it's called...parenting.
