Heritage

i've been thinking today about heritage.  Not my own, really, but my children's.  Both of my children will be married this year...we have already welcomed a new daughter into our family and, in just a few weeks, we'll have a second son.  It's very weird to have the door slamming shut on this chapter of motherhood.  Great.  But weird.  (Not that i'm no longer a mother...just that i'm no longer... well, i'm not sure what.  But it's different.)

Today was the first day of school for our Covenant Day* teachers.(i know it doesn't seem connected...hang with me.  i'm going somewhere with this.)  This morning, i had the privilege to be a guest at the worship service that began their year together.  As i looked around, i realized that at least two of the teachers that i saw in the room were students at this school with my children.  i don't know why that seems particularly special, but it does.  And the really unusual thing is that many of their teachers were in that room today, too.  Still teaching.  My children's classmates have returned to CDS to teach.  And the teachers who taught them have stayed there. 

Maybe not a big deal, but today i am really grateful and somewhat overwhelmed by the heritage that our family enjoys at Christ Covenant and CDS.  Our years as a part of this family have been less than perfect...and often painful.  We have been disappointed.  Our perspective has not always been full of faith.  But hindsight is such a sweet gift from the Lord.  Today, i am so committed to the theology of God's sovereignty in our lives, and i would not trade even one day of our history here.

These people taught my children to read.  Hannah had such a hard time with her multiplication tables in 3rd grade and Peggy Keifer never gave up on her.  Milas dreaded that 5th grade trip and Andrea Helmer convinced him that he could do it.  Hannah played trumpet. Milas played baseball.  They learned the catechism.  And every major theme from Scripture.  They sang worship songs.  They led worship.  Milas took a spiritual gifts class.  Hannah helped in the 4 year old ABC class with Cindy Reeder. 

It is incredible to me that at least two of the little girls who played jump rope with Hannah as kindergartners (i can still see her in her plaid jumper and red mary janes) will attend her wedding in just a few weeks. My mental scrapbook is full of pictures and themes that resonate with grace as i think about our years here as a family.  Again, not perfect.  But certainly a part of God's plan to prosper our family and to bless these children.

i am well aware that our story is somewhat unusual.  People don't stay put today.  They become disillusioned by the failure of teachers, leaders and peers...and they move on.  Hoping for something less disappointing.  i wonder if they find it? 

i know, too, that my own failure has affected people here.  Perhaps so much so that they have looked for friendship and family elsewhere.  i am sad about that...

Anyway, our having "stayed" for all of these years...20+?.... is not at all a tribute to our godliness.  It is a tribute to our God.  He has been so gracious and faithful.  It is His steadfast love that has held us and kept us.  And this heritage among His people is His gift to us.

This evening i'm just grateful.  My children, now becoming husbands and wives, are who they are in great part because of the heritage they enjoy.  I'm very aware ...

* this is the school that is a part of our church ministry