Growing up, summer vacations never went well. Specifically, my dad couldn’t vacation. He always seemed wound up. I remember my mother telling my dad “this is the last time I’m going on vacation with you!” Until the next summer… And then she would say it again. I’m pretty certain that me and my two older brothers didn’t help the situation with our fighting in the backseat. It was a 7 1/2 hour drive to the beach each summer. I always kind of admired my dad because he’s never really liked the beach— he’s a mountain guy. Looking back, he was probably stressed about how much all this is costing! As a a parent, I get that…

We’re all on a road-trip, really. The road-trip of life. Maybe you’ve suffered loss, disappointment or there’s been some sort of setback in your life— things can be really great and then they’re not. Our kids can be brag-worthy one moment and then you’re asking yourself what you did wrong. 

A friend of mine saw her son off to college last year. Honestly, it was devastating to her. It kind of shook me to my core to watch her —thinking we’ll be seeing our oldest, Quinn, off to college in a year.  What are we hoping to accomplish before he leaves us? 

It wasn’t until I had a conversation with our littlest, Maggie, that it was clear. 

I found Maggie‘s iPad in her bed one morning. When I asked her why she had it, she told me that she was feeling really weird before bed last night and wanted to watch church. Sure enough, I saw our pastor paused on her screen where she must’ve fallen asleep.  

I thought, that’s it. . .That’s my prayer. 

Maggie could have come down and woken us up, as she has so many times before when she can’t sleep. But she didn’t— she was reaching out to God for that comfort. I don’t feel sufficient for being a part of anything God may have planned. 

But if your kids can leave home independent from you and dependent on Him—well, I’d say they have some exciting road-trips ahead! ~Amy

Lord, help keep our eyes on you when life gets weird. Amen