The Empty Nest

It was bound to happen.
Someone had to be the youngest.
Someone had to be the last one to go off to college.

You can never imagine this day when you hold your babies in your arms.
They are little and helpless and utterly dependent on you for everything.
Everything is new; everything is a first.

You applaud things that would make others yawn.
You hang tattered artwork on the refrigerator
It is priceless to you; no museum piece could be as valuable.

You listen to made-up songs about nothing and everything.
You laugh at jokes and riddles that make no sense at all.
You read books for the thousandth time because you actually like them.

You play endless games of Candyland.
You secretly cringe when you are sent back from Queen Frostine to Gloppy.
You never realized the lessons they were learning as they played.

You made countless peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
You thought that Cheerios and Goldfish crackers were staples to every diet.
You learned that there were indeed favorite colors of M & M’s.

You smiled when you noticed that their backpack went down to their knees.
You marveled that their sneakers could ever look brand new.
You gazed at the favorite stuffed animal on the bed and thought it would be there forever.

You never knew that swallowing could be so hard when you saw them get on that big bus.
You didn’t care how silly you looked when you waved and continued to wave.
You watched the bus disappear from view before you walked back home.

You pushed them on a swing more times than you could count just so they could fly.
Your heart beat rapidly as you watched them ride a two-wheeler for the first time.
You wanted to protect them, but all the wobbles and tumbles were necessary.

You bandaged scraped knees and mended bruised hearts.
You baked cookies that were waiting with delectable smells as they walked in the door.
You checked in on them as they slept because you needed to know that they were fine.

You knew what made them afraid.
You knew what made them happy.
You knew their apprehensions, their insecurities, and what made them sad.

You filed it all away because you wanted to know everything about them.
You wanted to know every nuance, every chapter, and every verse.
This was your child; there was such joy in the knowing.

You had favorite places, favorite ice cream flavors, and favorite songs.
You had looks and glances that no one else understood.
You had shared memories that no one else could take away.

You shared the experience of braces and expanders and eyeglasses.
You talked with them about all the changes they were about to experience.
You remembered when you were that age and you knew you would never go back.

You were their biggest fan, their loudest cheering section, and their safe place.
You were their hub, their sense of belonging, their feeling of security.
You were home.

If you did your job well you taught them about another Home.
You taught them about the One who would be with them always.
You read them the love letter of His Word and helped them to hide it in their heart.

Little did you know that when you pushed them on the swing, they would really fly.
Little did you know that while you held them close, you were preparing them to launch.
Little did you know that launching meant leaving; day-to-day meant sometime.

You never realized how much you counted on their footsteps in the hall.
You held their hand when they took their first steps.
Now those steps would be leading them forth.

Forth towards Home.
Forth in the journey of life under the Son.
Forth to their own home and their own children that they will push on a swing to fly.

And fly they must.
There is Kingdom work to be done.
They were never really ours; they were always His.

We just kept them in trust for a while.
They are part of His plan that we helped to nurture.
We treasure all He allowed us to experience when He entrusted us with this sacred task.

It is not the end, this empty nest.
It is only the beginning.
Different to be sure, but somehow better.

Better because we need men and women of God to go forth.
We need generations of men and women who know Him and who will make Him known.
We need to further His Kingdom one child at a time.

She and I sat in church this past Sunday and we knew.
We knew that it would be the last time we would be sitting together for a while.
Until the first fall break, until the first weekend home.

I could feel the tears very close.
This chapter in our lives was about to change.
Just as I almost let the emotions get the best of me, I felt it.

During the last song, as we stood there in church, she grabbed my hand.
She put her head on my shoulder.
She knew.

Go forth.
Forth with the memory of butterfly kisses and teddy bear hugs.
Forth with the touch of my hand on yours.

Forth with my prayers.
Forth with my great love for who you are in Him.
Go forth and make a difference as you make Him known.

My heart goes with you.
My heart always goes with you.

May the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other.
(Genesis 31:49)

5 responses to “The Empty Nest”

1. I am constantly amazed and thankful that God has given you this gift of putting into words what is in a woman’s (mother’s) heart. Although it has been a long time since my girls left the nest, I remember it well. And in all the years since I’ve remembered the joy I had in them, and still do. Through the ups and downs, God has been there all through the journey and I praise Him for the strength He gives every day.

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2. Oh Gina, how perfectly you have described this season of change. When they were younger it was easy to think “they’re not mine, but His” but when the
   time of them flying away is actually here it’s not easy. Thank you for this. Beautiful.

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3. Gina, your gift of loving God and using the words He gives you to touch our hearts is precious. Every mom who has ever packed up their child and taken them to college or their first new apartment can relate to this beautiful devotion. Thank you for sharing and touching my heart so deeply.

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4. How do I put this on Facebook? Myself and many friends in the midst of what you r saying goodbye to, need this. We need reminded that as we look forward to a trip to the grocery store in peace we need to cherish this all to quickly fading time of motherhood.

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5. When I read this I cried…every word so true…we never knew how every moment He was preparing them..us..for THE moment…that moment when they would walk out the door surrounded by love and prayers…and those years of moments would flash through our minds as we help them pack….and by His grace we would let them go. THANKS for sharing….memories are so precious and make the journey here –with all the ups and downs..twists and turns–so very blessed as we walk with our Savior!.

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