Family Mushings From Me - Dad

I recently finished this painting called "Dressed In Summer's Best". It was inspired by a family trip to "The Grand Tetons National Park" this past summer. Family truly is important to me. I have a married daughter in Indiana, a college daughter who just got back to the states from a mission trip in Africa, a third daughter that is maneuvering through 8th grade and following in last, a son. I remember some wise soul giving a young couple words of wisdom after the birth of their first daughter. It went something like this: "Don't assume that she is yours to keep - You are just taking care of her for awhile. She really belongs to God." Yeah, sure - In my naive kind of way, I understood perfectly! We were just taking care of her for awhile. Of course I knew that... But somewhere along this incredible journey, my wife and I maybe forgot or just didn't quite understand the implications of this wisdom. Even with the best of intentions and even with the noble thought of being a temporary care-giver, we just got to thinking that she was "ours" as were each that came along. Years later after we dropped our oldest off at college and waved good-bye, my wife, through tearful eyes and a sincere mother's heart, whispered out loud, "fly away little birdie" only too many times since retract the command.Less than a year later came my "fly away" moment as I married off my baby girl. My wife and I really don't want our brood to return after they leave - we want to give them wings to fly to be all God intended them to be - but sometimes we wonder why someone didn't tell us a long time ago to prepare our hearts because one day they would take wing. Then I remember... oh yes, someone did ... Enjoy your kids today and give them wings to fly. - Jeff