Letter to my graduating senior.

The first question I have is, "how did we get here so fast?"


I swear it feels like last week when your dad and I brought you home from the hospital.  I remember looking at you and thinking that this moment would last forever and you would stay wrapped up in a blanket in my arms.  I'm not quite sure how 18 years literally flew by but it did.  


I had read that when your child reaches their Senior year in High School, they become, at times, hard to live with. They are trying to separate themselves and to assert their independence.  I read that this transition makes going off to college easier on the parents!  This is a true statement to some degree!


Please know that I am so happy for you and I'm so excited for this new chapter in your life!  My brain knows this but my heart feels something different.  


I will try and explain what is going on inside my head and heart.  In my head I know that this is the next step in life and you are going to grow on many levels.  When you complete your first year of college, you will be a different person than you are now.  You will understand this in time.  In my head I know that you are going to have challenges and there will be decisions you are going to have to make on your own and this is a part of growing up.  In my head I know that you will probably fall on your face a few times and have to get up and figure it out on your own and that this too, is part of life.  


Here is what is happening in my heart:


Every time you leave for school, I know it's one day closer to graduating and another day closer to college.  I want time to slow way down.


I realize that it's your last dance, or prom or homecoming and I just want to cherish that moment.  So if I tell you that I want to take more pictures, don't get mad, please know that I'm savoring the moment and I want to be able to look at the pictures over and over and over.


I know that you are over the edge excited about leaving for college but know that when you say, "I can't wait for my freedom!", while my head says, "it's ok, it's normal", my heart feel something different.


Your senior year, in particular is very emotional for me.  While I am planning for your Graduation, Grad party, College, etc., I will have more moments of reminiscing.  If you walk into a room and I'm sitting quietly looking through old things of yours, don't think this is silly or dumb.  Come sit with me and let's look through it together.  If I get a bit emotional, give me a hug and try to remember that you've been under my roof for 18 years and it's been my job to raise you, to take care of you and yes, prepare you for this time.  While I've been busy preparing you for this time, I've forgotten to prepare myself.  But I feel that as a Mom, we are not ever prepared.  


I will talk more about when you were a baby, toddler, young child.  Don't think this is silly or dumb but understand that my heart is wanting to go back to those moments and sit a while longer.  


I will cry.... a lot.  Don't take this as all bad.  I will be crying because yes, I am so incredibly sad that I blinked and you were off to college but I will be crying because I'm happy for you!  I'm happy for your accomplishments and I'm happy for the person you are and for what lies ahead for you.  


If I walk into your room and sit on your bed, welcome me.  Talk to me about your day, your thoughts, your fears, your joys.  Remember that for me, I know that when you are off to college, I won't be able to do this.  My heart needs this.  Our relationship will be better because of it.


Remember the things we taught you when you are faced with challenges because there will be bigger ones in college.  Remember your morals, your values and your integrity.  Hold on to those.  Remember that you ALWAYS have a choice.  Remember that the choices you make can and will be positive or negative and you determine that outcome.  Take responsibility for your choices.   Pray.  Don't blame others. Pray.  Look past the moment.  Pray.  Be a leader.  Pray.  Be a friend.  Study.  Study some more.  


Because of the internet, much of what you do will be posted in some social media.  Choose wisely.  Ask yourself, "Do I want this showing up in a few years?"  "How do I want others to perceive me?"  "Do I want a potential employer to see this?" "Do I want my grandma to see this?"  "Do I want my high school pastor to see this?"  Think before you post!  You will thank me, I promise!


Most of all, have fun and enjoy these years because as you will see, they will fly by all too fast!  You will make lifelong friends during your college years.  You will have some amazing opportunities come your way.  Enjoy them!  Take advantage of them!  










  

Welcome to our hearts Lushomo!

Lushomo

I will tell you upfront that I've always been leery of "sponsoring" children.  I know a lot of people that have sponsored children but in the back of my mind I've always thought, "Is that child really benefiting from the money and how many thousands of other people are sponsoring that child".  Now I will admit that I've thought this for years and never took the time to do any sort of research.  Also, I've always thought, "I know other countries need our help but there are so many people in the USA that need our help!"  So the struggle has been....

Until, our church decided to partner with World Vision.  They have chosen two villages in Zambia and have made a 10-15 year commitment to them.  It starts with water.  Women and young girls walk several miles a few times a day for water.  They get water from the same place that animals drink from and yes, go to the bathroom in.  Needless to say, 1 in 5 children die before the age of 5.  The average life is 45 years old.  We also have 300 people from our church who are running the Chicago Marathon in October and have teamed with World Vision.  The money raised from the marathon will go directly to water wells.  

There are approximately 30,000 people in one of the villages and approximately 35,000 people in the other.  Of that total, approximately 30,000 are children.  Our church went to World Vision and said, "We would like to have children to sponsor".  The most World Vision had ever given a church was around 450 children to sponsor.  Our church said, "Oh no, we need much more"  These conversations started two years ago between our church and World Vision.  You can imagine the hesitancy on World Visions part.  There is a lot that goes into this.  They go into a village, build trust and through talking to those in the village, they find the families most vulnerable.  The village says which family they feels could use the most help.  World Vision then builds trust with the family (can you imagine someone walking up and just snapping a picture of their child?!)  

I was humbled to be part of the volunteer team at our church this past weekend when this partnership was announced.  We had 2,000 children packets able to be sponsored.  Yes, 2,000!  We have four services at our church.  Two on Saturday and two on Sunday.  After the second service on Saturday, approximately 1,100 children had been sponsored !!  WOW!  Going into the 4th and final service on Sunday, we had approximately 69 packets left.  This didn't stop the generosity, so many people made pledges of sponsoring children!  We will have the final numbers this week and I can't wait to hear what it is!  

I am thrilled to be a part of this venture.  I am blessed to be a small part of building two villages.  I'm blessed to have Lushomo's picture in my kitchen so that I see that cute little face many times each day and I'm reminded.  

I'm reminded that Lushomo lives with her parents and 1 brother and struggles for so many things that I take for granted each and every day.  I can go to the kitchen and get a glass of clean water.  I can hop in my car and go to the store and get whatever I need.  I can contact just about anyone I want via phone or computer.  I can take my children to the doctor when they are sick.  When Lushomo get sick, her mother has to walk 20 miles to the nearest clinic.  20 miles ONE way.  I cannot even imagine.  

A group of people from our church have been to Zambia twice and visited the villages.  This makes it very real and tangible for me.  I know that what I am doing will be helping to build the communities and that the entire communities will benefit from what we do.  

I can tell you that one day, I will make the trip to Zambia and I will get the chance to meet and hopefully hug Lushomo.  I don't know when that will be but you can be guaranteed that there will be a blog and many pictures.

Lushomo just turned 3 years old on February 12th.  I look forward to watching her grow and hopefully building a relationship and meeting her one day.

http://northridgechurch.com/outreach/