Three years ago Diane and I were preparing ourselves for uncharted waters. Our journey into this adventure, did not come as a surprise. We had known for 18 years, that this day would come. The day I speak of is the day we left our oldest son off at Erskine College, in Due West, SC.

I recall Diane and I standing on the front porch of the bed and breakfast, sobbing in each others arms, as we watched Adam walk off to his dorm. It was if someone had reached into our bodies and tore our guts out.

Intellectually we knew Adam was embarking on what could be the greatest experience of his life. Letting him go, was not something we wanted to do. I wanted to say so much to him, but the knot in my throat was so large I could barely swallow, let alone utter a word. If I had the presence of mind I might have uttered the words of Paul,

"Whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God through Him."

Tomorrow, is round two. Yes, you guessed it, time has come to take Greg off to Clinton, NY, where Hamilton College will become his home away from home. You would think that after sending one son off, sending a second son would be easier. Well guess what, it’s not. When Adam went off, we knew we had Greg home with us. This time when we come home, there will be no other child to care for.

Perhaps now is a good time for me to say, if any of you want to drop your children off at our house for a couple of hours or a night, there is a sign up sheet in the back of the church.

I imagine every parent must struggle with the anxiety of letting go and wondering, "Will they be OK? Have I done a good enough job parenting them?"

Certainly there are reasons for concern. We are all aware of the dangers out there: drugs, alcohol, cults, abuse, deceptive people. We probably all know of a child who was raised, in what we would call a good Christian family by loving parents, yet that child became involved with and was influenced by the wrong crowd. In hopes of reducing the odds of this happening, what pearls of wisdom do you impart to them.

What do you say, when its time for them to stretch their wings and hopefully soar like an eagle?

I remember sitting in many locker rooms, moments before taking to the court, and listening as the coach gave one last word of encouragement, one last bit of instruction, one more insightful word of motivation. In affect the coach reminded us of what we already knew. Had it not been for many hours of instruction and practice, the years of watching and trying, of losing and winning we would not have been ready for this next contest.

I realize, that whatever I say to Greg, or whatever any parent says to their child as they get ready to stretch their wings, should have already been said, as they were growing up. By now, they should know how to live because of what they have heard and have seen from their parents, their church, their peers, their neighbors.

You may not necessary like or agree with Hillary Clinton, yet there is one thing she was quoted to have said which is absolutely right. She said, "I takes a village to raise a child."

My question to you, is what kind of life have our children seen in you?

Are the principles which Paul spoke of to the church of Colosse, evident through your living?

Do you: Seek the things that are above?;

Set your minds on things that are above?

In other words, is your moral and ethical behavior shaped by Christ?

Have you put to death: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, greed?

Have you gotten rid of: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language?

Have you clothed yourself with: compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience?

Are you willing to bear with one another, to forgive each other?

Bottom line have you clothed yourself with love?

As we prepare our children for the next phase of their life, be it toddlerhood, childhood, adolescence, adulthood,

Do we spend as much time:

teaching them how to live as Christians, as we do instructing them how to throw a baseball, kick a soccer ball, or catch a football;

teaching them how to pray and worship and serve, as we do instructing them in reading, writing and arithmetic;

allowing the Bible to be their teacher, as we do TV, music, and the cinema;

encouraging them on how to love God and neighbor with heart, soul, mind, and strength, as we do warning them about the cruel hard world, that only the strongest and the bravest survive .

Children are human sponges, soaking up everything, imitating what they see, repeating what they hear. Personally, I have never seen a white sponge remain white when it wipes up a grape juice spill.

My point, if we want our children to be good and righteous and Christ like, then they need to see goodness, righteousness and Christ in us.

Paul’s letter may have been written to the church of Colosse, however you and I should read it as though it was a personal letter. May it challenge us as to how to live, regardless of what stage of life you are in, adolescent, senior citizen, middle age, or even a young adult going off to college,

"Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God through Him."

AMEN

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