2006 06 30 A Graduation Tassle...

... and a new baby niece on the way!

Yesterday was a busy day as I shuttled kids around to their grandparents, did errands, and took the dog to the vet. Generally rushing through my day untilI saw something that struck me.

As I sat at a red light, I looked into the car ahead of me (being in a van sitting up a little higher than standard cars makes this somewhat easier! LOL). The young man had the standard graduational tassle hanging from his rear view mirror. But, as we sat there waiting for the light to turn green, he reached up, ran his fingers through it, straightened it out, un-kinked a few snags like he was reminiscining. It only last a fraction of a minute and we were both off to our day's adventures. But, it made me think.

How much is in front of him! What Life must hold in front of you at that point in your life. No one but God knows what the next 5, 10, 15 or 20 years hold in store for that young man. Great things. Sad things. Accomplishments and failures. But, many, many changes.

Remembering back those 5, 10, 15, and then 20 years ago when I was his age and had just graduated high school...how different my life is now than ANYTHING I pictured then! LOL All the sad, lonely, miserable years that I went through, that God brought me through to a relationship with Him at this point in time.

Then, I thought about the phone call I received Wednesday. My 18 year old half sister announced to my dad and stepmom that she's pregnant. I'm unsure how to react. A new life is always a blessing- especially to me after my many years of infertility struggles. However, she's been through school suspensions, expulsion, alternative ed, AA, NA, counseling, court dates, and doctors appointments in the last three years. Moved out of the house at 16, moved in with a fellow 17-year-old classmate, broke up with him, started dating her 26-year-old boss, started living with him, and now has become pregnant by him. *sigh*

And, again, I have to wonder...how much is in front of her! What Life must hold in front of her at that point in her life. No one but God knows what the next 5, 10, 15 or 20 years hold in store for my sister. Great things. Sad things. Accomplishments and failures. But, many, many changes.

As I become older, I am beginning to understand better how the Holy Spirit "fills in the blanks" when you don't even know what words to use to begin to pray. But, I pray that God shows Himself to that young man of promise I saw in traffic and rocks his world with His amazing love. I pray the same for my sister - for her salvation, for the tiny baby inside her, and for her situation that all of them will line up with God's will. It feels like "all" I can do.