A Day to Remember

Last night, Ephraim surprised me during his bedtime prayers by asking Jesus to help him be a better person. He is 5 1/2 and not extremely mature even compared to typical 5-year-olds. I told him that was a good thing to pray for and that it was a tiny step towards eventually asking Jesus to save him. He surprised me again by saying he wanted to ask Jesus to save him right then.

I thought for a moment. Nathan was saved on New Year's Eve the year he was 5; and I couldn't help comparing the boys. Nathan had been adamant about asking Jesus into his heart, but I was reluctant because of his age. Truthfully, I tried to talk him out of it, saying, "Nathan, you don't have to do this until you're ready;" to which he replied "Mommy, I am ready... why won't you just let me do this?" Nathan prayed the sinner's prayer and knew & believed everything he was supposed to believe; but I worried because of his age. In hindsight, I see now that his salvation was real... he was one way before salvation and a different way afterwards.

Now, almost 3 years to the day later (December 27th this time); I had another 5-year-old asking me the same question. I compared Ephraim's maturity level with Nathan's at the same age, and sighed. "Ephraim, let's think and talk about this for a few days... and if you are really sure you are ready and if I'm really sure you understand what it means to ask Jesus to save you... well, I'll help you pray the prayer on New Year's Eve, just like Nathan did."

This was not good enough for Ephraim. He could not sleep; and could not let go of the idea of asking Jesus to save him right then. It was as if Someone had taken hold of him...

I thought again about how it turned out with Nathan... about how in hindsight I can see the reality of his conversion and the Truth of Jesus living inside of him. As I considered Ephraim's eagerness to be saved by God... to commit to making Jesus the Lord of his life... I thought, "Who am I to stand in the way of this?"

So, I helped him.

I have adopted and adapted (though definitely DID NOT invent it!) a simplified method of explaining salvation to very young children: the ABC method.

A: Admit you are a sinner.

B: Believe Jesus is God's son and that Jesus died on the cross for you and that Jesus rose again on the 3rd day.

C: Confess/Commit to make Jesus the Lord (boss) of your life.

Also important: to love Jesus and to understand he is the bridge to God; that without Him none of us can get to God; and that he became the bridge by taking our punishment for us when He died on the cross. One of Matthew's friends said, "It's kind of like Jesus took our spanking for us."

There's more, of course... a lifetime more to learn about Jesus... but that is about as much as a 5-year-old can comprehend... for now...

We will wait to have Ephraim Baptized (unless he insists) to give him a chance to really learn about the Person living in his heart and to give him a chance to grow old enough to remember the day he obeys Christ's first request be being Baptized. This will also give us a chance to see Ephraim's salvation story unfold... and allow Ephraim to be old enough to be able to say, "This is what I was like before Jesus saved me... and this is how I changed..."

What a night!

A Mother's Treasures

My boys are growing up. We have a great, rowdy time together... but sometimes they surprise me still with the sweet love that exists only between mothers and their boys.

I treasure these moments! So often, I am forgotten as a mother of boys... our church celebrates mothers and daughters... fathers and daughters... fathers and sons... only my role has never been acknowledged... and although I laugh and say I don't care... I sometimes secretly do care...

My boys made up for it this month. I wouldn't trade being the mother of boys for any other honor...

Matthew began my sweet remembrance. Ephraim had to decorate a paper Christmas tree for school; and I dug out some old beads to use as jeweled lights. While Ephraim and I worked, Matthew mysteriously disappeared. About an hour later, Matthew brought me a hand-made paper envelope decorated with a Christmas tree he had drawn. I opened it, and found a bracelet made from jewels and string. My heart leaped, and images of so many hand-made gifts from Matthew over the years flew through my mind. He has always had such a sweet desire to make things for me... and I was so surprised and happy when my 11-year-old boy gave me one more bracelet he made himself... a remnant of his younger days.

Nathan was the second to pull at my heart strings. He went to the "Secret Santa" shop with enough money to buy gifts for everyone in the family. He was so excited when he got home, and wanted all of us to open our gifts right away! I relented, because I didn't want to dampen his excitement. I oohed and aaahed over his gift to me; as did the rest of the family with their gifts. Then, Nathan suprised me by saying, "I got you something else, Mommy." I was even more touched that he got me two gifts... and then he said the same thing three more times! I was so honored to be showered with so many gifts from my 8-year-old boy.

Ephraim... well, Ephraim is still my baby. He gives me moments every day, and I know I must hold onto them because he is growing up so fast! My favorite moments with him are at night; when he is lying in his bed and we are talking about his day. He is still willing to give me kisses, and I store them in my heart.

I am grateful beyond measure for my boys and their love.