thoughts from a spontaneous date...

Chad and took a spontaneous date last night.  The joy of putting up with adolescent attitudes is that the dad in the house can say, "Mom and I are going to Ruby Tuesday.  Stay off the internet and no fighting," as we walk out the door.  Every single time Chad says that, I see his lips saying the words and I hear my own dad's voice... only my dad never said "stay off the internet" but he did say "no fighting" every.single.time.


I wonder if I'm alone when I say that sometimes our spontaneous dates result in spontaneous conversation that I don't think we would have any other way.  Sometimes those spontaneous conversations are about our three wonders... what to do with them, how to love them and how to rear them in the nurture and admonition of the LORD.

We talked about this one... how much she has changed since she went to Guatemala last spring and school this fall (it's homecoming and spirit week... Disney day was yesterday, what do you think of jolly ole' Doc the dwarf?  She created her own costume).  And, how much we want to be able to send her to Guatemala again and school again next year.  How do we nurture this heart that wants to be a nurse and serve others and love people?  How do we love on her when friends turn away?  How do we pray that He will be her all and all?  

And we talked about this one... the one who is now the tallest in the house... taller than 6'1".  How do we raise him to be a man of honor?  A man of courage?  He's changed much in the year that he has been as school.  I wonder how much more he will change and will the changes always be good?  Sometimes I wonder does he takes a stand or does he rides the current?  More than anything I am overwhelmed... I have no idea how to raise a man.

And... then... there is this one.  The last one home... our caboose.  Some days I wonder how to do this and other days I wonder where we went wrong.  She's a first-born personality stuck in the role of youngest.  How did that happen?  Now what do we do?  How do we raise her to love others as she loves herself?  How will God use her supposed "gift" of arguing for His glory?  How much longer will she be home with me and am I enjoying the gift of every single moment with my last 8 year old?


Our spontaneous date was filled with spontaneous discussion centered around these questions and more.   The wise man I love said...

Isn't it great He knows it all?

We just get to wait and see what He will do.

... I'm looking forward to the next spontaneous date.