If I were playing Family Feud and the category in play was “Things that Pass” I think I could do pretty well. Because I teach seventh graders, I would have to say, “gas,” but I could quickly follow it up with “time,” “cars,” “storms,” and “kidney stones.” “People” pass and so do “traditions” and “family heirlooms.”

Things that pass often define us, sometimes shape us and can even motivate us.

Just this week, I have experienced a lot of passing.

The “kidney stone” response would have come straight from personal experience. Without warning and out-of-the-blue, last week at this time I discovered just how similar kidney stone pain is to labor pain. The ER doctor explained the logistics that meant I would just have to wait for the calcium stone to pass into my bladder. I was thankful for the common graces of the high potency pain meds she prescribed, but there was nothing I could do but wait out the passing.

While no one has died, I am grieving the end of a long season. For the past 17 years, my husband, Wally, and I have parented an elementary school-aged daughter. With Eliza’s recognition ceremony on Tuesday and her last half day of 5th grade on Wednesday, our youngest daughter is transitioning into the preteen years of middle school. This day seemed so far away when her oldest sister started at Barksdale Elementary over a decade and a half ago. Yet, here we are and this season is passing.

Then, yesterday, after her colligate graduation, we passed on a special piece of jewelry to our first born. Riley graduated with all the awards, honors and accolades from Transylvania University. As she marched in with her graduating class, her daddy and I wiped tears of pride and tears of longing, missing grandparents and loved ones who would be so very proud to see this amazing, grown, young woman she has become. The pendant passed on was one her daddy had bought me for Christmas the year she was born. With its simple three stone design, two small diamonds and one emerald (her birthstone), I have worn it for different special occasions and various every day events. She always knew it would one day be hers. The time had come for me to pass on her necklace to her as she passes into the next season of adulthood.

Emotionally and physically this week held a lot. I didn’t even mention having my last few days with my students cut short. I hated missing work this week, saying goodbye to the students I have been investing in for the last 10 months. At one point after I had packed up and cleaned up my classroom for the end of school, I looked at Wally and said, “I just want to cry, but I don’t know why!” He looked at me sympathetically and reminded me that there really was a lot going on.

As I have processed all of this “passing” this week, I have also been reading of God’s steadfast love and faithfulness. This phrase is repeated in the psalms and throughout the Bible. This phrase is a true description of God’s character – both in Biblical times and in my life.

While waiting for the pains meds to kick in, I never felt alone in my physical pain. While closing the elementary school chapters in my parenting experiences, I can look back and see countless examples of God’s faithfulness to provide for our family through teachers, churches, and friends. While watching Riley launch into adulthood, I praise God for how He continues to demonstrate that steadfast love to her and to us as He continues to answers so many prayers for her.

Four years ago, a good friend reminded me to look for the good in Riley’s high school graduation as I was bemoaning her growing up. I can definitely do the same thing here – The passing of my kidney stone was definitely a good thing. Honestly, while I will miss the “kid” in elementary school, we have tons of happy memories and good times to remember and cherish. This 17 year season was good. Riley has embraced the gospel as her own and is growing in a good relationship with her Lord and Savior. She has accepted a heritage of faith that we have prayed to be able to pass on to her. The next season for her may be hard. It will have its challenges but it will be good.

Why? Why do I know these things to be true? Because my God is faithful and true. His love is steadfast and His faithfulness is proven. I am reading it in His word and I am experiencing it in my life. He never passes “responsibility” to someone else or wastes time waiting for something to pass.

So how will I respond to all the passing in my life this week? I chose to praise. I will praise Him in the passing because of His “steadfast love and faithfulness.”