Here are the transitions I’ve noticed in life:
Self: Obtain Driver’s license, graduate high school and college, get married, have children and/or start career… TRANSITION!
The transitions a parent notices of their children are: 1) Potty trained, 2) Can feed & bathe themselves, 3) Get driver’s license, 4) Graduate high school and go to college… then an overlap begins. Children go through the above transitions as the parent does the best they can to help them through joyful and difficult days. ASIDE: When children are young they step on your toes, when they get older they step on your heart…
Back to self: Then your children get married and HAVE CHILDREN. This is where I am now… waiting for my daughter to have our first grandchild (A boy to be named Emmett… God willing). The next transition is retirement and then finally death. All total about 70 or 80 years (Psalm 90:10 is the verse “I’ll Fly Away” was taken from).
I had a friend tell me years ago, “You won’t know how well you raised your children until they have raised their children.” He called that the Third Generation Rule.
The comfort we find as parents and grandparents is Ephesians 1:11, “In Him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.” TRUST GOD through prayer. Hope in Him at all times.
It is good to remember that God doesn’t work in terms of hours, weeks, or months as much as He works over decades, centuries, and eternity. Thus as parents we always take the long view of our children (And grandchildren’s) lives. Youthful foolishness is not to be worried over when the parent does the best they can to raise kids in the nurture and admonition of the Lord and continually offers them to God in prayer. Trust God…
God has a purpose and plan for each individual that: 1) Glorifies Him, 2) Conforms the believer to the image of Christ, and 3) Lays up treasures in heaven. The long view is always hopeful and trusting in God’s providence. Many great Christian lived rebellious lives prior to coming to Christ and then in their adult life and later years honored God. As long as a child lives, there is hope. As it is written… no matter how bad or difficult things may seem… “God is able to do exceeding and abundantly above all we ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20).
Pray, hope, and have faith in God regarding your family!