We were sitting in my truck together outside of the Florida Mall in Orlando 2 days before Christmas. Ammaw and Pop (Grandma and Grandpa) were inside grabbing a few gifts. We had just picked them up from the airport. For my 5 year old son and me, it’s in these times of just casually talking together that we have the most significant conversations. And so it happened that day.
We decided to pray together for a 3 year old boy suffering from Meningitis. He is related to a friend in our church family. Caleb prayed for him to feel better and for his parents not to be too sad. Our prayer sparked a conversation in which Caleb said 2 very profound things.
I asked him if he knew that the Bible says we are to never ever stop praying. He said he did not know that. I asked him if he thought that meant just talking to God. He said it must mean listening to God, too. I asked him did he listen to God. He said yes. I asked him how he heard God speak to him. Here’s what he said – “I just hear him, Daddy. I just hear him in my mind.�
That led to me telling Caleb how thankful I am for him and how much God uses him to make me better. I asked him if he knew that – that he made his Daddy a better Daddy and a better person. He said he did know that. Then he said – “I make you better by slowing you down.�
Caleb definitely does make me better by slowing me down, making me remember daily what really matters. Thank you Caleb.
Here’s to us all listening to God and loving one another and making each other better. AND, having more of a 5 year old outlook.
Happy New Year!
9 Comments
December 29, 2008 at 1:23 am
Very sweet!!!!
January 13, 2009 at 8:13 pm
Kids have such pure and humble hearts, and at times, are much wiser than the adults who think THEY’RE the ones who know everything. Makes you reflect on why Christ said we must become as a little children if we are to inherit the kingdom of Heaven.
January 31, 2009 at 4:02 pm
Fantastic story…very close to home with my two boys.
February 25, 2009 at 9:52 pm
this is sweet.
March 14, 2009 at 12:00 pm
Your Blog came up as Automatically Generated in an article I posted in my Blog and I am so pleased.
Our two are 35 and 37 this year but I remember the implicit and unconditional trust they placed in God and Parents. You almost made me weep for not having loved them even more.
Thank you so much for sharing this gem with us!
March 14, 2009 at 1:29 pm
Please accept my apologies for bothering once more but a silly error slipped in [I often make the same mistake and the Spell Checker does not pick it up].
In the second line of the second paragraph the “I” must be replaced by “in” to read “placed in God and” etc. Please edit and correct it for me.
Look forward to seeing and reading more of your posts.
March 16, 2009 at 3:13 pm
Hey Ike! Got it edited. Thanks so much for taking the time to read my blog and for your kindness and encouragement.
March 17, 2009 at 9:46 am
Very cool blog. Great way to start my day at the office. http://talkingcuba.wordpress.com/
April 14, 2009 at 6:10 pm
WordPress linked this post to my blog (I shared one of my daughter’s poems).
I like what your son said about children slowing us down. So true.