Ups And Downs

Graduation Day 2009. I am now the proud mother of a high school graduate. One down, ten years and two more to go. It’s funny how whatever affects my child’s life seems to affect me a thousand times more than it does them. Why is that? There have been many ups and downs leading up to this summer. Let me share.

I’ll start with my oldest, the apple of my eye, my firstborn, my magnum opus!
Up – He graduated #10 of 450 and was accepted to Texas A&M Engineering School
Down – He’ll be moving away from home in a couple months
Up – He received several thousand dollars in scholarship money
Down – The money will only pay about half his first semester
Up – One scholarship came equipped with a mentor
Down – I don’t think he actually exists

Next is my daughter, the princess of the universe, the most important woman in my life!
Up – She earned her letter jacket in band
Down – She didn’t make drum major
Up – She’s the new secretary/treasurer of the band
Down – I got rooked into the band booster treasurer position (kidding, not a downer, hee hee)

Finally, there’s my youngest, the one who makes me smile, my baby.
Up – He made all A’s and B’s this year in school
Down – He didn’t get recognized for his grades because of one poor conduct grade
Up – He graduating from second grade with flying colors
Down – He’s going into third grade and will have to take the dreaded TAKS test

I was wondering…what if King David treated his ups and downs with the same attitude as me. Up – Israel is protected by the army of God
Down – A really big giant has plans to crush anyone who challenges him
Up – I was anointed king over Judah
Down – I’ll never become king because crazy old king Saul is trying to kill me

But David handled his situation much different. The Bible says, David said to the Philistine, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give all of you into our hands."

Wow! Thank goodness King David didn’t share my attitude or the Bible might have turned out very different. His attitude should be a lesson to everyone facing the ups and downs life has to offer. Oh, and by the way, my list is purely tongue in cheek. As you can plainly see, the Lord has blessed me beyond measure.