In a few days, my little Dessy will be moving out…
Tredessa Christine is our middle child, one of two still left at home. I know you look at the photo and say, “Isn’t she a little young to be leaving home?”
Tredessa is a woman that has her mother’s drive and determination and her father’s sarcasm. And that becomes a lethal combination. She was born the third child of a five child family. Two above, two below. In true middle child fashion, she quickly learned to adapt to her surroundings and to juggle everyday life in the middle.
But one day, something happened, she came into her own! And started becoming who she is in God.
No longer is she just my little girl with the raspy voice running through the house with long dark curls flowing.
She has and is becoming a mighty woman of faith.
A missionary to orphaned children in other countries, an administrator of an inner city ministry. A woman on the go. A mover and shaker in the Kingdom of God.
When I am in my upstairs office, I can always tell when Dessa is home.
Dess has a determined walk that rattles the doorposts. “I need a drink of water!” Clump! Clump! Clump! “I’m going to the microwave!” Clump! Clump! Clump!
She is full of passion and does nothing half heartedly. I think her philosophy in life is: Get in, Get out, or Get run over on the way!
I don’t know that she’s always been that way, she very rarely talked when she was little. It wasn’t that she didn’t have the prowess. She was not lacking in oratory skills. I guess when she said something, she expected it to have meaning and if it wasn’t worth saying, then why waste the breath?
Dessa and Stormie (our youngest) and I are movie buddies. Our idea of a fun weekend is watching ALL of the Star Wars movies or Lord of the Rings or Band of Brothers in order!
Dess also possesses my interest in the written word. One of the greatest gifts that she ever gave me, was an original story that she had written about a father and daughter team saving abandoned missionaries in a hostle country. It was Mission Impossible meets Through Gates of Splendor. And the father and daughter team of course, was us. I’ll publish it one day.
She is my friend and I’m going to miss having her across the hall. I’ll regret not hearing her singing praises to the Lord in the morning from behind her door. I’ll miss talking to her on the phone and asking if she will be home for supper tonight. I’ll miss her asking me which movie I want her bring home. I’ll miss her laughter and her wrestling with Stormie for the remote. I’ll miss the notes on my sink some mornings asking me if I want to borrow her car to go to Colorado Springs to teach because my Blazer gets terrible gas mileage. I’ll miss the clump, clump, clump across my downstairs floor. I’ll even miss the water bill! (Dessa takes the longest showers of anyone I know, she says it’s because of her long hair…)
I’ll miss you Dess.
I know that you feel like the Lord is having you do this as an act of faith. He’s teaching you to be self reliant. I know that the girlfriend you’re moving in with is also a mighty woman of God and together you’ll take your corners of the world by storm. I know down deep that this is right. But it doesn’t make it much easier.
I’ve piled up a mountain of TP while writing this, I can’t find the Kleenex…
I know that this day comes. For me, it has already come three times. Steph marrying Tristan, Tara marrying Dave, and Rocky marrying Jovan. And it wasn’t easy then either. Why do we have to raise kids to leave? But I know it’s the healthy thing. I know that it’s the circle of life. I know… I know…
I’m sure it’s the same thing The Father felt sending Jesus to us. He knew that a sacrifice had to be made.
I know, that for me, it is the ultimate sacrifice. But I dedicated each one of you to the Lord and His work and mom and I are seeing the fruit of that faithfulness in your lives. You have ALL become mighty in the Kingdom of God. And you are ALL fulfilling the destiny that He has set before you.
I am so proud of you. I feel your heart. I see your passion for those who are fatherless and motherless. And I know that when you put your arms around those little ones in Venezuela and Honduras that my arms are around them too. You are blessed.
I bless you with a father’s blessing: May your going out and your coming in be blessed. May everything that you put your hand to, prosper. May you always know God’s grace and mercy and love no matter the circumstances or the situation. May you always minister the love of God to all those that you encounter. And may you always live at peace with all mankind.
I know this seems silly, for right now you’re only moving to Arvada, just a little closer to your downtown Denver ministry, but it doesn’t make it any easier on me.
When Tristan set you up your website I knew it was right: www.tredessa.com
That says it all…