It’s all over. The youngest of my three children recently passed the “legally an adult” birthday. Though I’ll be a parent for the rest of my life, officially the job is done. We don’t own a mini-van anymore. A box of graham crackers lasts for weeks. I can get a week’s worth of laundry done in 3-4 loads. Counting towels.
The hands-on parenting years were packed with busy days, hard work and mutiple course adjustments as someone entered another developmental stage. They included some difficult times and many mistakes but also loads of fun. Some of what we have to show for all that activity are well-worn family in-jokes, tons of photos (still in the original envelopes) and more than a few fondly-held family traditions that all three children still enjoy celebrating, and often adamantly insist we do so. Sixteen of those years we were homeschooling. All of them were blessed.
As E6:4 begins, one child is happily married, one is in graduate school, and one is nearly finished with college. Somehow, through the grace of God and our own imperfect efforts, our children grew up! They are wonderful people, and we are so thankful. Most importantly, our three children profess Christ as Lord and Savior, and each one, true to his or her own personality and particular emphasis in their Christian beliefs, strives daily and faithfully to follow him.
As we enter this stage of non-active parenthood, with humility and some fear at the presumption of the very idea, it seems I might have something to share with others who are yet behind me in this adventure of parenting. If that’s you, it’s my prayer and hope that this blog will help you in your own striving and persevering as a mother or a father. This is my particular goal for parents who are actively parenting children at home – but if these principles and thoughts have any value at all, they will carry forward to contacts with other children to whom you may minister in your work life, family circle, neighborhood, community, church and world.
E6:4 is a blog devoted to the idea that a reformed, Christian perspective is the best foundation for effective parenting. I seek to explore this premise and invite your comments and participation along the way.
Grace and Truth,
Becky
