Next Step

Yesterday Bronwyn and I went to STB (Student Travel Bureau-they sell discount tickets to high school/college students) to buy her one way ticket to the states to start school. Okay, it really isn't a "one-way" ticket as we bought the return ticket for December but you get the idea.

She leaves at the end of July with her mom and little brother (Giovanni) to follow about 10 days later. Ansley is DYING to go as well but that doesn't look financially possible. Giovanni still flies for free. Otherwise he wouldn't be able to go either.

Anyway, Bronwyn is going early to have some time with grandparents before she leaves for Texas.

I had a brother yesterday ask me what buying the ticket is doing to me and Benay. He wanted to know how we were taking it.

Honestly, it seems normal. It seems right in God's timing.

Will we miss not seeing her every day? Absolutely. Will it be hard putting her on that plane knowing she may never live close to us again? Absolutely. Will it be hard not having her around when her brothers and sisters have birthdays or want to share something with her? Absolutely. Would we love for her to live by us for the rest of her life? Sure. Will we miss her being the "second mom" to Anderson and Giovanni?  Of course.

But it would be selfish and sinful of us to try to get her to stay. We've always tried to teach our kids to follow God's will without looking for human approval as to confirmation of what He tells them to do. How hypocritical of us would it be to now try and get Bronwyn to go to college here in Porto Alegre?

Her leaving next month is the next natural step. For her to live her life. For her to listen and follow God's will for her life, not for ours.

And she's doing that. She listened to God and followed His will for her college choice and she's never looked back. She's had such great peace about college. She's right in His will.

Her recent trip to Africa has prepared her even more for leaving everything that is comfortable to her and going to a different country. That may sound weird to you who are Americans but for our kids American culture is a different culture that they will have to get used to. Going to Africa helped her to prepare for going to school in the states.

God's will was even being worked nine years ago when we lived in Abilene, Texas. We met a young couple (Jessica and Jonathan) there and really loved them and their hearts. We spent just a little with them in Abilene and then ran into them about a year later in Brasil when we shared a short meal together one day. That's been our contact with them.  Anyway, this young woman got in touch with Bronwyn about someone she knew in Thailand. Bronwyn became friends with this girl through email, etc. and now they are roommates. Her name is Asia and they are excited about being roommates.

We didn't know it at the time but God was using that "chance" meeting in 2001 to prepare the way for college roommates. Pretty cool considering Bronwyn and Asia were ten and nine at that time.

God also blessed our family with an amazing "house church" family while we lived in Abilene. They literally changed and saved our lives while we were in the middle of discouragement and spiritual attacks with fund raising for this ministry. We all have kids around the same age. We try to see some or all of this group when we go back to the states every two years. They even came here and spent a week with us about 6 years ago. It's a blessing knowing that Bronwyn already has family in Texas.

Dallas is about three hours away from her school and we already have quite a few people telling us that their house is open for her when she's traveling or if she just wants to get away for a weekend. What a blessing that will be for her.

I could go on and on with the blessings but the bottom line is we have great peace about putting our daughter on that plane next month.

Her decision to go to Africa has begun a new Blume kids' tradition as well. Ansley is already planning her "mission" trip next year and Garrett has been talking about where he wants to go after he graduates from high school as well. It looks like an after high school trip somewhere to help others has become the norm for our kids.

Bronwyn has grown a lot in the last year but now it's time for her go to college. She told me the other day, "Dad, I am ready to go to school." And that makes us happy because we know it's not that she's happy to get away from her family (although on some fighting days it probably is) but that she's ready for the next thing God has planned for her.

She's excited and that makes us happy.