Tomorrow...

Our working definition of parenting:

Raising adults, living in community, who are independently dependent on God.

When we speak on the topic of parenting, we flesh this out, piece by piece...

Raising adults...

Living in community...

Independently...

Dependent on God...

So with that definition in mind, we can move into each phase of our child's development with arms opening wider and wider, eventually blessing our adult children on their own path of living in community, independently dependent on God.

Sometimes, when struggling with a behaviorally challenged 5 year old in public, I feel the need to scream, "But I do have three adult children who are doing quite well, thank you."

Sometimes, when struggling with a behaviorally challenged 5 year old at home, I feel the need to remind myself, "But I do have three adult children who are doing quite well, thank you."

We also acknowledge that because our children have the same free will bestowed upon us, they make their own adult choices. We can neither applaud ourselves or blame ourselves for their actions.

But we can take joy in seeing the adults they have become and are becoming, living in community, independently dependent on God.

Tomorrow marks a major step in the King family. Our oldest son is getting married. How exciting! Every joy turns into praise to God. Every worry turns into a prayer to God.

It has been my prayer, throughout their engagement, that all of this planning wouldn't just be for the wedding day, but would be for a lifetime commitment in a God-honoring relationship. As I've told them several times in the past few months, a healthy Christian marriage can be your greatest testimony to a world looking in.

I'm ready! Are they?

The prayer I've prayed over Andrew since he was little, now becomes my prayer for Andrew and Sarah, from this day forward...

Ephesians 3:14-19

For this reason I kneel before the Father,

from whom His whole family in Heaven and on earth derives its name.

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 saints,

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.