My son is my inspiration for the day. I know that I will not make it through this without shedding or having a waterfall of tears roll down my face, but I want to share with you what he has instilled in me today.
My son Zach is 11, and in just a few short weeks he will be moving out of Elementary School into the next level of his childhood, which is Middle School. I know that for some that step may not seem so important, but for him it is huge, and for me it means that my son is growing up much faster than I want him to. What does Middle School hold? What temptations must he face? Have we taught him how to be a Christian in what seems to be somewhat, at times, a cruel place? Let's face it, kids can be cruel, and school years can be the most difficult years of ones life.
I am so very proud of both of my kids, and all the care and love that is within them. Last weekend was Abby's 9th Birthday, and she shared some of her Birthday money with her brother so he could buy a game that he had been saving up for. Of course, Zach, being the kid he is, didn't feel right about taking her Birthday money. But we taught him that it feels just as good to give as it to receive and that it meant a lot to Abby that she had enough money that she could help her bubba buy his game. I guess there are worse arguments to be had, LOL. So, to make that story short, Zach bought his game and was extremely nice to his sister the rest of the day.
I hope I don't lose your attention before I get the good part, but if anyone knows me, when I tell a story, I like to tell the story plus the week before. LOL.. Shane and Mary would probably laugh at that.
On Tuesday, I had just picked the kids up from my mom's, and Zach had seen that I had busted the glass on my new phone. He of course let me know how bad he felt that I had already broken my phone 2 weeks after my purchase. I told him how much it was going to cost me to get it fixed, and he told me that I could use his allowance to help pay to fix my phone. Understand that he had just taken on the added responsibilities of mowing our yard to earn that allowance. My heart melted, and I knew that he meant what he said. I also know that if I ever did need to use his allowance, he would have understood. That's just how he rolls, he is a very thoughtful young man.
So that brings me to today.....the day that I had never been more proud of my son, and even more aware of what a great man of God he is growing up to be. There is a kid at school that apparently a lot of the other kids make fun of. I'm sure we remember as kids the times we talked about kids having cooties, well this is that kid. A kid that apparently plays by himself because everyone else is afraid to even touch him. A kid that when another kid touches him, then touches another kid and names his name and tells them they have his cooties. Zach decided he would play with this kid, he didn't feel that it was right that the kids made of fun of him. So my son took a chance, a chance that other kids would probably in return do the same thing to him just for hanging out with this kid. I could tell that as he talked to me about it, as he always does on our way home from school,that it really bothered him that the other kids were treating this boy so badly. As he sat and played with this kid, another kid came up to him and told him he was screwed (thinking that Zach was STUCK playing with this kid), not thinking that Zach actually chose to play with this kid. He told Matt and I that this kid was actually a nice kid. He went on to share his story with us, and sharing his heart.
I sat there, holding back the tears, as I am right now, thinking back on my own childhood. Which kid was I? Was I the kid making fun, or the kid getting made fun of, or the kid that chose to take a chance and just sit down and play with someone that no one else would even go near. Today, if I ever had a doubt before as to what kind of man my son is growing up to be, I have no doubt now. It is not just that he proved that he is more of a man than any of the other kids who chose to act tough by talking down to others, but he proves to me daily that Christ lives within him. So often, he makes me stop and take a look at myself. I am so proud of the Godly man that he is becoming everyday. That he is not afraid to take a stand, when others may condemn him. He is strong, and he is tough, and at the same time full of love for others. Yes, we talk about his day, and we pray about his day, and then we teach him how to deal with it. We don't deal with it for him. We don't go and confront parents, we teach him how to be the Godly Man who confronts his problems with God behind him. I am so proud of my son.
