Until We Meet Again

Recently, I have been studying and using Psalms and Proverbs as my daily scripture thoughts for my family. I had also been thinking about how I could best convey my feelings about Ben leaving on his mission, and I settled on taking a stab at writing my own psalm of a sort that might relate to the feelings of all the fathers and mothers who send their kids out into the world and hope they remain grounded in Jesus Christ and make a difference.

When I think about the pillars of what I hope for Ben on his mission, it boils down to these:

That he fully embraces his departure and leaves us home for a while for this new adventure.
That he is safe and protected
That he experiences the sowing and also the harvesting of amazing experiences
That he recognizes that he is part of a legacy of people who make a difference and want to do good in this world

This verse in Psalm 126 sums up my hopes and dreams for my kids, and I hope this post has meaning for all parents and kids as they go into this world.

He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. — Psalm 126:6 (KJV)

Departing

We did not bring you into this world to keep you.

I think I knew it the day you were born, holding you like the most precious cargo on loan to me — an arrow laid across my open hands for me to straighten and prepare through the years.

Every scraped knee, every laugh and every long talk, every night I stood in your doorway watching you sleep and asking God to please help me get this right — all of it was shaping you for your flight.

Our home will always be yours, but you’re ready to fly now.

So go, my son. Fly farther than my voice can follow. You were never mine to hold — you were mine to aim toward heaven and to love with all my heart.

God be with you till we meet again; by His counsels guide, uphold you; with His sheep securely fold you — God be with you till we meet again.

Safe Journey

I have been watching over you all your life. I know your laugh in a crowded room. I know the sound of your feet on the stairs. Some part of me has stood watch over you since the first night of your life, and that part of me does not know how to fully stand down.

So now I hand over fully the watching to the Lord.

The road will be long some days, son. There will be mornings you are tired, and nights you are lonely and hours you wonder where the help will come from.

When those hours come, do the one thing the psalmist asks us to do when we travel in the Lord:

Lift up your eyes.

The Watchman of Israel is on the wall this season of your life. He kept watch over me on darker roads than yours. He does not slumber. He does not blink. And He has already promised to keep watch over you in your going out and your coming in, from this time forth, and even forevermore.

God be with you till we meet again; when life’s perils thick confound you, put His arms unfailing round you — God be with you till we meet again.

Harvesting

There will be rain on many of the days you sow out in the world.

There will be doors that never open, and hearts you love that will not accept you, and nights you lie awake and wonder if any of it matters at all.

It matters. Every seed matters.

The ground will not always show you immediately what took root. But somewhere under all that soil, seeds you planted and nurtured with tears on your face are growing toward a light you might not see for years.

Give everything to this season of your life, son. Hold nothing back for later. The soul that gives is the soul that receives; the hands that empty themselves are the ones God fills.

They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. Not might. Shall. The harvest is not a hope — it is a promise, and the Lord of the harvest has never once lost a crop.

God be with you till we meet again; keep love’s banner floating o’er you; smite death’s threatening wave before you — God be with you till we meet again.

Legacy

You take our name out that door with you.

Not just the letters of it — the whole long story of it: generations of Caputos and Luceros, of Vans and Manganos, of Georges and Snows. Ancestors you never knew, who built the foundation you stand on. It was built by grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and parents who have been with you each day of your life: their stories now merge into yours.

That foundation, the foundation I have built my life on, is that if you do good in this world, it multiplies and comes back to you tenfold.

One kind thing you do for a stranger becomes the kind thing they do for another, and one becomes ten, and ten become a hundred, until there are thousands upon thousands of good things moving through the world that all began with you — and no one will ever trace them back, but God will know. And that is enough.

This is how the light of Christ travels through generations. One generation builds for the next, and the next builds for another, and somewhere far down the line a child no different from you has the foundation to make a difference in this world and experience the joy that was meant to be the point of this life.

So go, son. Take our name. Take the light and the foundation that was built for you. Set your dominoes falling across a world that is starving for goodness, and do not stop to count them.

And when you have sown all you can, come home to us —

first to our door, where the porch light will be burning, and your chair is still at the table,

second to your friends, who will have changed and grown like you, ready to embark on the next wonderful phase of life,

and last, as you continue to do good throughout your life, to the feet of Jesus, where the whole host of loved ones — all of them, every generation that ever carried our name or ever will — will finally be gathered in, and no one will ever say goodbye again.

Till we meet, till we meet, till we meet at Jesus’ feet; till we meet, till we meet — God be with you till we meet again.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Podcasts

Faith Matters Podcast: Encouraging faithful inquiry amid complexity.
Comeback Podcast: Sharing Stories of those who left the church and came back.
Unshaken with Jared Halverson: In-depth historical and doctrinal studies for those wrestling with tough questions.
Leading Saints: Insights into modern leadership and discipleship, often addressing nuanced challenges.

Books

Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days (Vols. 1–2): Thorough Church history, incorporating modern research.
Planted by Patrick Q. Mason: A compassionate approach to faith challenges.
The Crucible of Doubt by Terryl and Fiona Givens: Thoughtful exploration of faith reconstruction.
Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling by Richard Lyman Bushman: A deeply researched biography reflecting Joseph’s certainty and complexity.
Making Sense of the Doctrine and Covenants by Steven C. Harper: A summary of the history and context for each section of the Doctrine and Covenants.

Blogs and Articles

Gospel Essays: Accessible discussions suited for individual and group study.
Faith Matters: Engages contemporary faith topics with candor.