It’s a Good-Bye Time of Year

Another school year is coming to a close.

My older daughter will officially be a high schooler in just a few weeks.  My younger daughter, however, is facing the most changes in the next few months .  She’ll be moving from her current Sunday School class into the youth group, leaving the children’s programs behind for good, finishing what will perhaps be her final year in homeschool co-op classes.

It’s a time to say good-bye to many who have influenced my children in the past year, or even longer.

There’s Mr. Bates, the music teacher who introduced my 14-year-old to handbells and led her Junior High choir.  Mrs. Yandle, the dear lady who’s taught both of my girls in her 5th and 6th Grade Sunday School class.  Mrs. Woodruff, Mrs. Shreve, and Mrs. Brown, the three ladies who have encouraged my younger daughter in her last year of Awana.  Their group will not have my daughter sitting with them come September.

The lessons and skills that my daughters have gleaned from these people and many others can never be repaid.  There’s no monetary donation or tangible gift that could demonstrate their importance.  That’s because they’ve given their time – our most valuable, irreplaceable resource – and literally themselves to impact the lives of mine and other children.

Good-bye’s can be hard to say.  They make me sentimental.  A good-bye means we’ve been linked to another soul through a common interest, then brought to a point of parting.  I believe the line from Dr. Seuss is appropriate here –

Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.

This is the prayer I pray during this month of good-bye’s.

Thank you, God, for those who’ve invested themselves into my children in each season of their lives.  While you’ve given John and I the ultimate responsibility of training our daughters for you, we’ve selected some to help us in this journey. 

We are blessed to have had these dear people assist us in rearing our children.  We can never repay the hours they’ve spent, yet You can reward them for eternity.  Only You know the ultimate impact the intersection of these lives with ours has made on our children as well as us, their parents. 

Continue to guide us, Lord, and give us wisdom in trusting others to do what we, in a certain sense, cannot.  Give us teachers, youth leaders, music directors, pastors who will point our children to You and who will live lives that exemplify your goodness. 

Bless, Lord, and keep in your care all of us as we move forward from here.  May we each live out your plan in touching lives and bringing glory to You.

What type of change is your family facing these days?