Losing Your Marbles

 

 

 

 

 

These past few months in the Grant household have been quite busy with track meets, spring dance recitals, senior prom, the end of another school year, and a graduation. In May, our oldest daughter, Kayleigh, graduated from high school and we are now quickly approaching August 25, when we will drop her off at college. Recently, she celebrated her 18th birthday! How is this day here already? How have 18 years or 216 months or 936 weeks passed since we brought this sweet girl home from the hospital?!

Several years ago, I had the opportunity to attend a conference with the Family Life team where I was first introduced to the number 936. Never did I think that a jar filled with 936 marbles could have such a significant impact on me as a parent. This jar illustrated a week in a child’s life from birth to until their 18th birthday or around the time of high school graduation. When I was first introduced to this idea, it hit me in the gut. Why would we as parents want to count down the weeks until we launch our daughter into life’s next chapter? I didn’t really care to think about it, but my perspective changed with this statement…”When we know the number of weeks we may have, we become more intentional with those weeks.” WOW!! Rather than seeing it as “losing my marbles,” I began looking at the opportunity in each “marble” and the gift we have in the weeks ahead.

Am I intentional with every week? No. Are there weeks that I wish went faster? Yes. But, whenever I pass by our jar of marbles at home, I’m reminded of the gift God has given us as parents to shepherd, love, and rely on Him more and more as we walk with and guide our kids through life. So as we prepare to launch Kayleigh into her college days in August and continue in the middle school years with our younger daughter, Riley Kate, my prayer is that God will use Bryon and I and the incredible community He’s placed around us to intentionally live out the life-changing message of Jesus Christ.

The scripture below is one that God has used during these past few months of transition to remind my husband and I of His faithfulness and also to encourage me as we step into this new phase as parents. We might feel sometimes like we’re losing our marbles in this journey as parents, but God is faithful and good in every step. I pray we keep our eyes fixed on Him and His great love through this journey.

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.
– Ephesians 3:16-21

 

Malia Grant
Family Life Director