Ever Present

Where can I go from your Spirit?

Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;

 if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

if I settle on the far side of the sea,

even there your hand will guide me,

your right hand will hold me fast. Psalm 139:7-10

Many children and young people are starting school this month. For some it is an exciting time reuniting with friends and schoolmates. Others may feel apprehensive, especially if they are changing schools or if they are first-timers.

Adults face this time with mixed emotions as well. Teachers are setting up classrooms, organizing supplies, and preparing lesson plans while trying to catch just a few more minutes of an all too short summer break.  Some parents are glad to be getting back into the “normal” routine. Others (like my dear daughter-in-law) started grieving a week ago and are already counting the days to the next vacation. 

For some sending small children off for the first time is a sweet sorrow.  The children are growing up. That’s good, right?  You feel like maybe they won’t need you as much, like your role in their life is going to change. And maybe that makes you sad. You may even be fearful of leaving them in the care of someone else 5 days a week. And you are perhaps just realizing that your schedule is going to be set by someone else for at least the next 12 YEARS!

Some mothers watching their kids leave for college are gripped by the reality that their student will be coming home less often now. The fledglings are leaving the nest and it feels empty. Funny, isn’t it, how we try to teach our children independence but we feel sad when they learn it!

Recently I found a letter from me to my mother written when we lived in Africa. Two weeks after we took our 7^th grade son, Peter, to boarding school for the first time I wrote:

“Leaving a son in boarding school is not what it’s cracked up to be. I really wish we didn’t have to do it. I never thought I’d miss him so much." … (Then I told her how well he was doing before getting back to how I was doing.)  

"I was sick with the flu or malaria or something last week. One night when I had the most fever, I had a dream. I dreamt that we were all somewhere and had to take a train. We had to do something so we let Peter go ahead and get on the train with some other folks. The train left without us and even though we followed, trying to find him, we never could...

I woke up crying and remembered that he was at school and I was glad that I at least knew where he was. If nothing else, this experience has given me a lot of compassion for others who have to be separated from their children. It’s not an easy thing.”

Through many times of separation God taught me that even when I am not there HE is. Our God is Ever Present! He's with me... with my children...with you...and with your children!

It got easier over time. All three of our children thrived in their school. And when the time came for college and we were separated by an ocean, I had confidence in the unfailing love of our Ever Present God.

So, when sending your children off to school, although they won’t be building a temple as he was, feel free to borrow the words David spoke to his son,“Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you.” 1 Chronicles 28:20