Where did the time go?!?!

This past week our other church we attend had an evangelist come visit for several days. He was from South Carolina and the cutest little skinny red head! But he preached without fear. It was cool listening to his Southern drawl and his questions for things we regularly say that made no sense to him. Anyway, after we'd gone and listened to a couple of his services, he gave an altar call (as he did after each service I'm told. I missed a couple of services due to work...booo) and imagine my surprise when I felt a cold spot beside me where Little Critter had been standing! Now, Little Critter professed his faith in Yeshua years ago when he was either 4 or 5....he was watching The DJ Club and when they talked about accepting Yeshua, he did! But while we were thrilled, we also wanted to see what happened when he was old enough to really better understand the implications of what he'd just done. Obviously, last Saturday, he understood. He walked up there with no prompting from either Dodi or me and told Brother Jeff he wanted Yeshua in his heart. (OK, this mommy knew he already HAD Yeshua in his heart, but wasn't going to belabor the point!) As he stood up there, I was almost shocked at how tall he'd gotten. And how broad his shoulders were getting...and how he no longer looked like a little boy, but somehow on that short walk seemed to have grown into an attractive young man. While he answered the questions of faith in a clear strong voice, I was shocked at how grown up he sounded! Good Grief! My Little Critter is growing into a young man!?!?! When did THAT happen????? How did I sleep thru this metamorphosis??????? He's not quite a butterfly yet, but he's also not a cute little wormy, squirmy caterpillar either. Ye gads! Does that make him a grub??? Perhaps. But before I gross myself out with this analogy, I know that when we finish the grub stage, he'll be an incredible butterfly. I've seen signs of the man he'll be, and while there's still plenty of rough edges to work on, for the most part, it appears the shape is there and is only in need of some serious polishing. Then I realized, he'll be 9 years old in two weeks. NINE YEARS OLD?!?! No, time can't be flying by that fast....can it? That means that we only have 4 more years before he'll have our version of a Bar Mitzvah. Only 4 years before he's responsible for his words, actions and is considered a young man! Deep and heavy sigh. My little wormy, squirmy, giggly, darling boy is far too rapidly becoming a young man who will far too quickly become a grown man. Oh, I understand more fully the bitter sweetness of things stored in Mary's heart as she watched her little darling baby become the man Hasheem planned for Him to be since the creation of the world. While I'm proud of Little Critter and the young man he's becoming, I find myself often missing those 2 am cuddles while I fed him, or the giggles and laughter as we took showers together when he was 2 and 3, or the exuberance we felt when he learned to blow bubbles for himself. The excitement and pride we both felt when he learned to read for himself. I miss that trust that he'd come to me with his little booboo's for me to 'kiss and make better'. I realize I'll have some more time to gather my sweet memories to treasure later, but oh, how grateful I am that Papa led Dodi and I to home school Little Critter. I can't imagine the pain of missing so much of the last several years that most parents miss. But for the life of me I can't figure out where the time went? Oh my friends, I pray you treasure each moment you have with your children and grandchildren while they're little. Those times that so often feel like they'll last forever.....don't. They end entirely too quickly. And one day soon, you'll be like me, wondering where DID the time go? Treasure those darlings you have like our Papa treasures us and spend every moment you can with them, teaching them of Papa, loving on them, and watching as they grow. It's an adventure there are no words to describe, but an adventure that has eternal implications. Well, I'd better stop now before I start sniveling....or as Little Critter says "Mom, don't get mushy!". So be blessed this week, and look for those love letters from Papa. Shalom, Joie....who's feeling proud, sad, thrilled and beginning to wonder if this is the beginning of menopause......,again!!!! LOL!