We are in a year of transitions in the Royce household. Our older son is a senior and finishing his high school career. The final college decision will be made before I write my next post here. Wow. Can it possibly be true that all the preparation for launch is about to come to an initial culmination? I know there are stages of transition for most kids, particularly those with any special needs.
Our son is a pretty amazing young man. Diagnosed in second grade with a complex and challenging disability picture, he has worked diligently through 10 more years of school. I have often asked the Lord why He made this child with such intricate uniqueness. How is that possible? I have never understood it though I came to accept it years ago.
He has been accepted at two schools and awaits news from a third. And now it is decision time. Where does the path lead to take him to the adulthood for which we have stewarded him these 18 plus years? Only the Lord knows at this moment. We continue to pray.
The truth is, as is often the case, there is such mixed emotion. I am so proud of all he has accomplished in the challenging circumstances the Lord has given him. He is so remarkably resilient, strong, and compassionate. But I wonder about these next steps and how he will manage on his own at college. We have had to advocate strongly getting his unusual needs met. In these last two years I have moved from advocate to coach to prepare him to be ready to advocate for himself at college. And soon, he will launch.
Truth be told, I often wonder if we have done enough. Isn’t that the universal Mom question? We have invested our time, money, prayers, energy, and every other conceivable possibility over 18 years and yet I still wonder. I go to the Lord with my doubts and wonderings and fears of whether we have done the right things and enough of them. And He reassures me that He is bigger than any preparation we could have done. He is really the one preparing this young man for the purposes for which He created him. He is the one of whom Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”
And I read this for my son: “For Caleb is His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that Caleb would walk in them.”
Truth. Breath out anxiety. Breath in grace.
This is the same God whose resurrection we just celebrated. He was powerful enough to raise Christ Jesus from the dead. Certainly He is able to care for this boy of my womb, this man of His making. He is able and He will do it.
Even in a year of transition.
Warmly,
Shannon Royce
Latest posts by Shannon Royce (see all)
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