Real Grown Ups: Stories of people that are well on their way to being "mature"

Filling out the usual plethora of forms at the doctor's office the other day, I came to the blank marked "person to contact in case of an emergency (not living in your home)". I started to do the usual and write in the name of my in-laws (my parent's don't live locally), when I realized I could put my daughter's name in that blank. She is after all a married, self-supporting 21 year old adult with a cell phone and a car. I stopped a moment and let the gravity of that hit me--she is now a real grown up. Now I know a lot of people would say 'heeello!' She's been married and gone for almost a year now! But if you have grown children, you will know what I mean when I say it is a process. Seeing your child--the one whose nose, bottom, and tears you wiped--as an adult takes some getting used to.

It's not like we haven't been having 'grown up' conversations for a long time. This is the kid who at the ripe age of four asked at a restaurant, "Mommy, what does 'gay' mean?" and wouldn't take 'happy' for an answer. We've talked about what it means to 'be good' and later what it means to live out your faith in a school enviroment where your beliefs are not the accepted norm. We've talked about what it means to love your friends even when they are not being very lovable. We've talked about how to love your brother even when he is driving you absolutely stark-raving-maniac-crazy. We've talked about what it means to love someone so much that you can't see straight or see yourself living without them. We've talked volumes about other essentials over the years--clothes, art, movies, music, chocolate, hair--the list would be enormous. We're big talkers. We like to think and work things out verbally, much to the dismay of our more inward thinking husbands. Lately, we've talked a lot about what it means to do what you really love and to do it for the One who deserves all our love and lives.

Yesterday, she and favorite son-in-law went with about a dozen people to Detroit to minister to homeless people. They didn't preach, hold a rally, or try to get people into a program. They just loaded up their cars with blankets and groceries and met the needy and poor where they were--giving them a little help, listening to those that wanted to talk, praying for those who needed hope. They showed their love for God in basic, but tangible ways.

Tonight, hubby and I sat and listened as they shared their desires and dreams of going to South Africa this summer. While not really the first step--God has been doing things on this front for a while now--it may be the next leg of the journey to making overseas mission work their life's work. God has been weaving the threads of their lives together toward this purpose from the beginning. And through a web of interconnection that only God can pull together, He has led them to not only those who can make this dream a reality, but also those who share their enthusiasm and prayerfully support them.

Trying your best to live a life of love. Showing others love in hands-on, unselfish ways. Working toward making your God-given dreams a reality. Isn't that what being a real grown up should be all about?

And at the very least, isn't that the kind of person you want to call in case of emergency?