With each day, each assignment and event our youngest son (and our family) is moving closer to the end of his high school years.
This weekend was such for him, as he worked to complete what is known as a Transition Plan (T Plan). It is a presentation which he does for a a group of family and friends, as well as a school staffer.
Though I, as a mom, and a school staffer, love to hear and view these presentations and to learn about the past, present and future of the lives of the students, I have not loved the pressure that this puts on the students (my own as well as the others).
Perhaps it is because it occurs in the final year of high school, when there is already so much pressure on the students to have their futures figured out.
Of our own three kids, this T Plan assignment has been much work, with little joy.
Our oldest, a perfectionist (kinda goes with being oldest) worked for weeks ensuring it fulfilled all the intended goals, and was amazing in every way. The evening of her presentation she ended up with technical difficulties, resulting in great stress and little joy as the presentation had to be viewed from her computer screen.
Our youngest daughter simply did what needed to be done. It was just another assignment to her … she did it and crossed that hoop off her list.
Our youngest son … he, well … this assignment was a constant reminder that he doesn’t know what his future plans are yet, and so it has just been a reminder and pressure to get it all figured out.
Finally, yesterday, I sat him down, and communicated more clearly to him that it is okay to not know what the future holds, for the heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps (Proverbs 16:9) anyway. I assured him that many of the plans of his peers will change, even in the next year.
Then I encouraged him to tell the truth about his future plans …
that he does not know what they will be,
that he simply cannot imagine next year without the community he has spent the last thirteen years with.
Then I reminded him that God has plans for his life, for next September, for his future. There is a plan, there is a hope, and when he is ready, it will be revealed.
itsawonderfilledlife 