Pondering

Taking your child to college and dropping them off is a momentous exercise. With our firstborn, it involved helping him pack up his little Toyota pick up truck. And with each semester sometimes there was the van full of stuff. I remember he got very good at roping town the tarp, and packing his stuff.

With middle son, going to college in town meant dropping him off a few times for ROTC activities so that he did not have to leave his truck unattended on the college parking lot. And waiting for the Sunday afternoon phone call to pick him up. And packing and hauling to his post college camps and schools.

Our youngest moved out over three years ago. But, decided that now is the best time to go back to college and take a year long electricians course south of us, exactly 92 miles away. The brochures promised a dresser, bed and desk, so he packed mostly clothing, and the rest of the stuff into our back yard little house for storage, but after the first trip we realized he did indeed need a desk, and dresser and so he hauled some stuff out of storage, and packed the minivan and we drove back down on the same day. It is a beautiful drive. Just an hour and a half or so. I enjoyed the nice, clear horizon, and these flocks of white birds---doves? Flying in Vs---but too small to be ducks. There are spots on I-35 where the speed limit is 65 and most is 70 mph. A few crazy drivers, and lots of semi trucks as this is the route to Mexico. Corn was being harvested. And a small plane was dusting a cotton field. I always mistake a cotton field for soy beans until the white bowls of cotton appear. Same plant height and rows.

The dorm type apartments are remodelled gutted between classes, I suspect, as huge disposal containers sit in the parking lots. Ben's quad apartment had new carpet, and as I stepped near the door, my sandals snagged a piece of broken glass. I thought I'd stepped on a roofing nail. But, Ben pulled out the glass and cleaned my foot, and put on the bandaid from my bandaid stash in my purse. So, will that be my memory of dropping him off at college? Hauling stuff, and stepping on a piece of glass, and him cleaning my foot? After the second trip, we went to Walmart and stocked his frig. Not sure if the chow hall is open on the weekends. And I met his one roommate so far, David from Luling, Texas. We went to Cracker Barrel, as Ben likes their Friday catfish special. Guys are not very talkative---I always envy moms of girls at this point. But, from experience, I know that sons marry beautiful ladies who do talk... So, there are no tears goodbye. Instead, I will see him next Friday when he comes to our city to go to the doctor. Being a full time student means we can put him back on our insurance and get some surgeries taken care of. I have been itching to call him all day. Wondering of the other two roommates showed. Wondering if he got all organized. Wondering if he found where his classes are. What fun tools and books? The college sits on an old Air Force Base. We drove out the back on our way to Walmart and saw that half the old houses are boarded up. Enough places to remodel to keep a remodelling class busy. I wonder if his electricians class will do the actual wiring.

Our last "baby" in college. A very grown up young man used to being on his own. Someday, we pray he finds a good Christin woman and has a family like his brothers with cute little babies, and then sends them to college. Especially since college is needed to support a family with a good job with a good insurance program.

We watched Glenn Beck's rally in DC on the Mall via facebook today. C-span covered it too. It gave me such hope because it was highlighting a spiritual revivial--only by turning our eyes to God, and repenting, and following Christ will this country turn around and undo, and get out of debt that we have saddled our grandchildren with. Only God can heal our nation. Only God. It made me cry to hear Jesus talked about on the Mall in DC. wow. It was refreshing. And right. And there was no anger nor signs nor ignoring the millions gathered. The press will try to slant it and denigrate it, but we learned again about the wonderful, truthful words our forefathers spoke, and wrote and engraved on the monuments. Glory to God. Our Creator, Saviour, Redeemer, and Ruler of the nations. God rules the nations. God designed a plan of nations. Nations that respect, love, help, and reflect Biblical principles.

I want to remember, too, how my son led the prayer over our food at Cracker Barrel. Usually, Bob does it, but since it was Ben and his new roommate and I, Ben initiated it. Made this old mom's heart swell with gratitude.