Deadlines
and Details
“I
love to think about God.”
A
simple statement by a simple child. Children keep things simple
(Matthew 11:25). Life has yet to confound or confuse them with
deadlines and details. Oh, but to be a child again. No hurries, no
worries. Inquisitive and curious about everything from earth worms
to wrinkled hands. The “whys” and “how come”
questions seem unending. A weary mother wonders if they ever will.
Sure enough, they do. And when they do, she wonders where the time
went.
She
looks down one day and sees the wrinkled hands her children wondered
about. The earth worms that stirred awe in them then, bore them now.
Vacation bible school is a misty memory. Swing sets and park slides
suddenly slip into nostalgia. Right before her eyes, just a blink,
and little lives change. Paychecks, peer pressure, and drug driven
parties are now their problems and priorities. The children that
knew not a worry in the world are at this instant in the middle of
it. She prays the world doesn’t get the best of her oldest or
give its worst to her youngest. Oh, but to have the questions asked
again.
Hindsight
allows her to see that her weary, worried, and hurried ways simply
weren’t worth it. It was optional. It was a choice. And she
sees that because it was, they must have been watching. Perhaps it
was the harsh tone or the infrequent hugs following so many
frustrating days at work. Why? How come? She is pained by the
questions. Their questions are hers. What they must have felt,
she feels. Her empty nest isn’t a syndrome some self-help book
can better. Alone she sits, loathing self-centeredness. Every
ill-spoken word and the words that should have been beg for answers.
It has finally hit home and her heart is breaking because they no
longer are.
The
phone rings and she lets it go unanswered. Moments later it rings
again and cautiously she decides to answer. Her prayer is answered.
The world hasn’t won. Her son’s voice has gotten deeper
and his first love has too.
“Mom?”
he utters with questioning inflection.
She
stills her spirit to prepare to answer.
“I
still love to think about God.”
A
simple statement by still your child.
Listen
to your children. Why? How come? Very simply. Weary,
worried, and hurried ways simply aren't worth it. By the way, a lot
of sage is in the tender mercies of mouths of mere babes.
***************************************
Brian
G.Jett – © 2006