25 Turned 19 Today

My baby turned 19 today.  And we had 14 in the house for lunch...grilling burgers and hotdogs after church.  Then I lit 19 candles on 24 cupcakes, all in the shape of a basketball, and we sang "Happy Birthday"....

I am having a hard time believing that this upcoming year will be the last year...ever...that I can say I am the mother of a teenager.  I remember the baby and toddler stage lasting so long, or so it seemed.  Between all four kids, I remember feeling like I'd been changing diapers forever.

Forever goes by so fast.

I remember feeling like I'd been stuck in phonics-hell "forever".  I loved finally getting out of grunting long and short vowel sounds, for years.  Then, it seemed like I taught elementary school "forever".

Then high school.

And here I am today - I have been a mom to teenagers since the dawn of this millenium.  Feels like "forever". 

Yet this year...2012...marks the end of my home school teaching career, and the end of being a mom to teenagers.  Next year, my baby will turn 20.  How does that happen?  I.  Can't.  Stand.  It.

I so love this boy.  He is freakishly tall for this family, and hilariously funny, and smart as they get, and the biggest brat you ever met, should you have the misfortune of seeing him in one of his bratty moments.  But there is something of greatness in this boy.  Grace will accomplish, in his life, what the law could never do.  The Gospel will be both his undoing and his best doing.

And as his mother...I wait.  I wait on the Lord, I hope in the Lord, and no one who does that is ever made ashamed.  No regrets! 

My son...he's the real deal.  A man with the call to preach on his life.  I'll wait to see what he does with it.

Happy Birthday, son!  May your Basketball bring the Spiritual Harvest you dreamed of as a little boy, when your heart was still so tender and you loved Jesus with such abandon.  That was the real you.  I see glimpses of that young man now and then....and I am moved upon by the very presence of God when I see it.

His plans for you are good, boy!

Love,
Mom

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Just had to cry some as i read this... and laugh, too... and then, cry a little more... PRAYERS for that fine son... and all in his family... much love from over the mtns... mA