This is the Prayer & Confession

Today, September 3rd, 2023, was a day of change in our home. I watched my adult son borrow my old truck to move more of his things to his first home, which will be entirely his own. Suddenly, the lyrics of Harry Chapin's song "Cats and the Cradle and the Silver Spoon" came to mind.

Take a moment and play the song if you are or were ever a dad. Some of the lyrics may tug at your very heart and soul. I am glad my son learned and observed some of my best qualities and avoided my many pitfalls. This also goes for my very generous daughter and her love of critters of every sort.

I pray that I will keep positive relationships with my children as I grow older. My son has my love of automobiles, and my daughter has my love of critters. I thank the Lord in heaven for both of these wonderful young adults who are such a blessing to me.

I still remember being at the hospital when my son was born. I remember his playing the drums as a child and the two of us at Demolition Derbies not long after he was born. Unlike other parents, having fostered teenagers, I had some idea of someone leaving home. But I was never prepared for the mixed emotions of seeing my son prepare his own home.

I left home at fifteen for the first time and was disconnected from my mother before I was eighteen years old, and that connection would never return. As I watched my old Ford Pickup drive down our road, all sorts of memories flooded my mind, from my teen years to the challenges of being a parent.

My daughter is still at home, but before I know it, she will also be on her own. The years are moving far too quickly. Our children will both be gone as I hear another song that begins to flood my mind: the Beatles' "She's Leaving Home,"

I am very proud of my children and the foster children who have passed through my house over the years. I look back and confess I made many mistakes; I look at my son and daughter and marvel at the kind, generous, and hardworking people they have become.

Maybe it is a curse or a blessing, but a motor vehicle accident has left my current memory cloudy, but the long-ago past seems more apparent than ever. It is sooner or later; we all must face our past. For me, it is sooner. I believe I tried very hard to give my children a safe, respectful, and loving home with more positive than negative memories.

As I listen to the song "Forever Young" by Rod Stewart, I pray that my son will forever be happy and live in a free society. I also pray for my daughter's happiness and freedom when she decides to leave home.

To my children and my foster children, I hope I served you all to the best of my abilities. I send prayers and best wishes to you all as you face an ever-changing world. I am sixty years old now, and I know every day forward is a blessing and a chance to stay connected to the children I love, admire, and believe in.

I have read that some people feel depressed or suffer mood swings as their children leave home. I admit I was always concerned when foster teenagers left home, unprepared for the giant, sometimes cruel world out there. As the pick-up truck disappears, I feel excitement for my son. He will be closer to work, moving in with a good friend from school, and seems much more prepared for life than I did when I left home. I also know my daughter will do well.

I want to finish by saying, "God Bless you, my son; be safe and happy."

I am so happy and proud of some foster children who have stayed in touch. You are fantastic testimonies to the courage of the human heart.

I guess I am fortunate, and I do not feel grief or relief but "JOY" for you all.