a moment of reflection

"What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14b, NIV)

See that girl in the above picture, its the same exact one that is standing beside me in the below picture.  The above picture was taken some 18 years ago, the bottom one a couple of weeks ago.  The time in between seems like a mist, a vapor, has gone by so quick.

A lot is happening this year.  My oldest graduates high school, my twins are finishing their first year of school, and Olivia is growing way too fast. 

Someone once told me that as you get older its like time picks up steam and moves faster.  I am beginning to understand this.  In the verse above James states that life is like a vapor (or a mist) there for a moment then its gone.  Where does it go?

I've not always been the best of father's, not always set the best example, or even listened when I should have.  But as I sit back and reflect on my eldest child and her path I can rest assured that I gave her my all, I have done the best I could.  I have done what I can to encourage her spiritually, academically, and emotionally.  Now, it is time for her to take what has been given, take what has been poured into her and become an adult.  An adult, that seems hard coming out of my mouth, my eldest child is an adult. 

Her mom asked me a few weeks ago if it was "bothering" me yet that our daughter was graduating.  At the time I hadn't dealt with that reality yet.  Then I started going through pictures for "Graduation Sunday" at church.  Then the reality started to set in.  My oldest child is grown.

Eighteen years of blood, sweat, and tears now has prepared and formed her into a young lady, a young woman, a young adult.  One who is getting ready to go into the world and become a productive responsible young adult that will spread her wings and fly to give the world what she has to offer.

In 9 days I will watch my daughter walk across that stage and accept her diploma for graduating high school.  This young girl that I was just rocking in my arms as she cried from tummy ache as a baby, this girl I was just picking up from Kindergarten, this girl I was just spending May Day with at TC Henderson Elementry, this girl I was just picking up from Rosman Middle, this girl I was just at her Chorus Concert at Brevard College as a Sophmore, to now this young woman who will be a graduate from North Buncombe High School. 

June 9 will be a glorious day of celebration, June 9 will be a day of beginning of transition for my daughter as she begins her journey as an adult, and June 9 will be a day of somberness as it sinks in that my little girl is growing up.

So proud to call Virginia Leigh Reese Daughter, and so proud for her to call me Dad.

Love Dad.