This was my first post back in 2009, but I somehow deleted it. : /
Okay, so I have mastered (sort of) the whole Facebook thing - a monumental task for a person just 10 months from 50. But now, this whole family blog thing...it kind of boggles me. I am going solo here and it is a little bit scary. I have no idea what I'm doing.
So if I understand this correctly, I can write about anything that's on my heart. Well with Rachel's wedding exactly 2 weeks from this very day I bet you can guess what is on my heart. I sit in a new guest room because she no longer lives here. I always wanted an extra room, this house always seemed so tiny. Somehow now the house seems bigger than I remember, and why exactly did I need an extra bedroom? While I am thrilled (no really) that she has begun her life outside the walls of the home that watched her grow, there is a sentimental bitter/sweet conflict going on in my heart.
I can still see the marks on the back of the hall door that calculated the growth of her body. As precious as these marks are they pale in comparison to the marks that calculate the growth of her walk with the Lord. She has transformed from a little girl who sang Mary Rice Hopkins praise songs, attended every children's function available at church, and trusted in His tender care. She now sings her beloved soon-to-be husband's praise songs, attends every college function available at church and still trusts in her Savior's tender care.
This trust, of course, has deepened as she has spent her lifetime learning that He can be trusted in all things. Watching that from near and afar as a mom has been a joy. Pure joy. Like watching someone you love open up a gift you know they will love. It has been sheer delight watching her take her faith and give it feet. Shepherding high school girls through their years of school, witnessing to co-workers, digging into scripture in bible studies and being transformed by the teaching. I can't wait to see how the Lord will grow her outside these walls and inside the walls of the home she and Ryan will build together.
One last thing before I blog-off....is that a word? Over the years Rachel and I have purchased many special dresses for her. Each year through her elementary school days she and her dad would go to the Dad-Daughter Banquets together. We would shop for just the right dress, curl her hair, and dad would place the flowers on her wrist. As I write this, across this new room hangs a beautiful white dress. We'll curl her hair and you can bet there will be flowers. Only on this night, this very special night, her dad will take her to the party and lovingly, and tenderly give her away to another man.
