As I write this, my wife and I are driving from South Carolina to Ohio (actually, she’s driving and I’m typing). Behind us we leave our youngest recently launched into her freshman year at college. Before us a new chapter for the two of us: after over 22 years of having children in the house, we will again be empty-nesters. As we approached this weekend I thought about the final nuggets of (hopefully profound) advice I could give my daughter that would encapsulate all my wife and I have tried to live and teach through the years. I posted a request to my friends on Facebook asking for final advice and here are a couple of the responses:
- "Remember our phone number, not just our account number."
- "Ben & Jerry don't make good roommates."
- “Tell her to beware of weasels (male species)."
- "…look as deeply into her eyes as possible, one hand resting firmly but gently on each shoulder and say 'I love you & that means my heart and soul and prayers are with you 24/7....you have my complete permission to wallop weasels. "
Of course, much of the advice was serious (not that being aware of the weasels isn’t very serious). “Be smart with your time.” “Be aware of your surroundings.” “Put it all in God’s hands at the beginning, middle and end of each day.” And some of the advice was encouraging to me. They reminded me that she comes from a loving and caring family and that “what you have taught her she will take with her always.” That took some of the pressure off to find spectacular final words of wisdom.
I heard a valedictorian give a speech recently where she encouraged her classmates about the future. She spoke openly about her faith which I thought that was very cool in a day where that is often discouraged in those settings. But something about what she said bothered me for a time. There was something that wasn’t sitting quite right. Then I realized her perspective was that she was embarking on a journey of her choice and that God would be there to serve her as she reached toward her goals. That ran counter to what God has been trying to teach me. God is not here to serve us on our journey, we are to serve him on the journey he calls each of us to join.
That thought gave me my final advice for my daughter.
Sweetheart: Go deep in your relationship with Jesus. Join his journey and live the adventure!
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