A decade ago. How can it be? Does time really move so quickly? How can one moment he be a tiny little baby snuggled in my arms and the next be a boy of ten dressed in his favorite Keen clothes? It's his birthday. Ten. A decade old. And I tricked him. With candles that don't go out. It's the third time he's tried to extinguish these. "Mommy, are these trick candles?" Can't fool him.
He's grown to be a energetic, intelligent, reflective and contemplative young boy. Not much escapes his attention. He may appear to be in his own little world at times. But he's paying attention. I know. Later he'll say something related to what we were saying.
Never a dull moment. I remember when he was three. "Mommy, I don't understand calculus." Huh? What three year old even knows that there is a math concept such as calculus? "Mommy, I'm going to invent a time machine." Yes, I believe you could. "Mommy, when I grow up I want to be a baker." At 5 years old that was his dream. Today it is different. "Mommy, I want to be a computer programmer." He's already working on it. Daddy helps him. Soon they will be working together on Visual Basic. Will he grow to be a computer programmer? A baker? A scientist? A pastor? A musician? A farmer? A teacher? (He's always correcting my grammar mistakes). A researcher? An astrophysicist? He wants to develop a teleporter. Just yesterday he commented, "Mommy when I invent the teleporter would you like to be the first person to travel?" "Ahhh, no thanks son. I think I would like to be the 1000th person." He replies, "Yeah, perhaps I should practice with inanimate objects first. What if I develop a teleporter that transports just things?" "Oh son, I think you will put the UPS man out of business." "Just think" he replies, "You could order stuff on the computer and in moments it could be on your teleporter pad."
I remember when he was a tiny little baby. Daddy would sing to him and carry him endlessly in his arms. Every night I would sing him to sleep with, "The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine upon you. And give you peace. And give you peace. And give you peace forever." I would pray that God would mold this boy to be strong, courageous, sensitive to others and to Him." Perhaps one day my son will invent something amazing. Perhaps not. But amazing he is.
My first born son breathed his first breath on December 20th, 1998 at 12:24 in the morning after being two and half weeks late and after being induced 12 hours earlier. It was a rough beginning. Back labor for hours. Exhaustion. Tears. And suddenly a beautiful crying baby. An hour later we were all tucked into our beds and settled down. My wonderful husband in the guest bed, me in my hospital bed and our son in the bassinet between us. Finally some rest. We closed our eyes, breathed deeply, and "Whaaaa!" We looked at each other and laughed. It was just as friends had said. No rest for the weary. But it has definitely been a life of joy.
Thank you God for our son. Thank you God for Your Son. For without Jesus, "God with us", there would be no joy, no everlasting hope. Thank you.
Today's Journey Joy: First born son
