Never alone

"enjoy pleasure"

Ecclesiastes 2:1

My baby girl went away from me last week.  My beautiful, sweet too young to leave the house high-schooler went away to camp with the other high school students from our church.   She had a wonderful time {Although I'm pleased to say that she missed us.  Is that wrong of me?}  And she experienced a whole lot of fun experiences that she has never experienced before.  Outdoor activities like swinging from a giant swing into the lake, and playing Airsoft, and jumping on one of those giant trampolines where you're held with elastic cables, so you're able to do back flips and stuff.  Not to mention teachings and worship twice a day, and general laughter and merriment with new and old friends.

It was a long week for the Apple of my Eye, and Amazing Boy and me.  25% of our family was gone, and the house just didn't feel right.  She texted us frequently, letting us know how ~ and what ~ she was doing, but that only helped a little bit.

I was glad for her to be having fun, learning, and doing new things, but that's part of what made it hard for me.  If she were off at the dentist or something, I'd miss her, but she's been to the dentist before.  There's nothing new there.  But the things she was doing were new, and I wished I could be there as she experienced new things.  I wished I could see her face, see the expression in her eyes, and hear her laughter.  Author Elizabeth Stone said, "Having a child is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body."  I read that quote when my girl was tiny, and I think about it often as my kids grow more and more independent.

I want them to do and experience new things.  I just hate not being there when they do. 

It makes me appreciate even more the intimate relationship we have with the Lord.  He knows how we feel; He knows what we are thinking.  He's with us when we laugh, and when we cry.  I don't think we acknowledge that as often as we should.  And I wonder if being ignored bothers Him as much as it bothers me...

I love that He was with her in everything she experienced while she was away from me.  And I love that He was with me, while my girl was away.

~ "truly our fellowship is with the Father" ~

1 John 1:3