The day I have always dreaded has come upon me.

Maddie has officially said goodbye to Barbie.

After years of immersion into Mattel’s world of fun and fashion, Maddie has traded in her Barbie Dream House for an iPod touch.

I know it doesn’t mean that she’s not a little girl anymore, but the fact that I’ll no longer see her in her room surrounded by Barbie clothing and accessories is traumatic nonetheless.

However, just as I’m about to lament the rapid passage of time, I’m reminded of Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 13:11: “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.” As much as my doting father’s heart wishes that Maddie would be a little girl forever, I certainly understand her need to give up and grow up.

That’s the way it is for all of us. Continued maturity demands that we relinquish the past and lean in to the future.

I hope you’re committed to a lifetime of spiritual growth and maturity. I hope you’re like King David and the Apostle Paul, ever-yearning for new and deeper experiences with God. I hope you’re not too attached to yesterday.

And I hope you’re not secretly playing with Barbie when none of us are looking. 🙂