The River Road

The road along the river, is made up of concrete slabs, long ago separated by the shifting land beneath them.  They are close enough to drive on, but far enough apart for weeds to grow in there when the weather conditions are right....

As you drive along, it provides this peaceful, clip-clop, clip-clop sound that is reminiscent of a horse clopping along. A drive along this stretch of road is guaranteed to put any mildly sleepy child, into a nice deep slumber.  This happens often to dear Jeremiah, and it did again today.   I was thinking as I drove along, how our lives are like that.  They have a general destination, and as we drive along, the sound of our own clopping lulls us to sleep....

This thought was prompted by an interaction Hunter had with a family in the park.  I was sitting over in the grass, watching the kids play on the structure, and a woman walks up to me.  She is about my age, and her kids do the stair steps down from about 9 to 4.  Hunter had been playing with them for the last 45 minutes or so....  So she walks up and asks me if the little boy who had just been sitting with me was my son.  I replied yes he was, and shame on me the first thought in my head was... OH NO.... now what did he do???

She started out with saying that he was SOO Smart!  I think I looked at her as if to say, my kid?  And then I was thinking about boasting about how we homeschool.  I didn't say anything out loud, except, "thank you."

She explained how he was talking to her dad, the subject started out as being about a construction tool they have at the play ground and how good this man's granddaughter was operating the toy.  The grandpa explained how this girl's daddy used excavators all day at work, so that was why she knew how to play with them so well....

And here comes the part that humbles me.

Humbles me to my very core.

It puts me to shame... but even though it reveals in me something I lack,  I hope, I pray, I will beg God, all the rest of my days.... for Hunter to never loose this....

Hunter: "Um, yeah, so what do you do?"

Grandpa: " I am a farmer."

Hunter: "Really?  So, where do you go to church?"

Grandpa: ( both the woman who told me and later the Grandpa himself came and told me how that question took him aback) "Well," pause.... "We go to a church that believes in Jesus."

Hunter: " Oh yeah?  Well, He is my Personal Savior"

Grandpa: "How old are you?"

Hunter: "8." " I go to Grace Baptist Church, it is on the corner of 10th and Union. You should come sometime."

The woman told me how her dad kept talking to Hunter, and how completely impressed he was with this little boy who knew Jesus was his Savior.  I was speechless.  Her words were not what I expected to hear.  I was sure she was going to tell me that some sort of scuffle or argument had happened.  I did not expect to hear that my son had been telling others about Jesus and where they could go to learn more about Him.

I managed to squeak out that it wasn't all me....  I can't take all the credit.

She looked at me, and said.... " Oh I know, it's that." She pointed to my Bible that was on the blanket near me. "It's in there... that's what does it."

She walked away, to go be with her folks and her kids.... and I just watched her go.  I was stunned.  God-smacked would be one way to describe it.  I was so proud of him, and so ashamed of myself. As I relive the moment, I am awash with fresh tears, the monitor is swimming... "oh GOD! Create in me that innocence and love for you!"

 I so want that childlike desire to share my faith, with ease, without fear.  Without being one of those people who is lulled to sleep by everyday life, that I sleep right through opportunities like the one my son just saw.

A bit later the Grandpa came up himself, and told me he was here from Ohio, visiting.  He said, never in his life had he met a kid who was 8 that could talk like that about Jesus.  He wanted to let me know he thought I was doing a great job of teaching and training my kid....  again, all I could squeak was "thank you."  He gave me that nod. The one that is done by older and much wiser men. The one they give to women who look like they are about to up and cry on them... The one that says " I understand. No words needed."

I don't share this as a yea Hunter... or a yea me.  It isn't.  It is a yea GOD.  Our relationship with Him is personal.  His Spirit lives with in us.  Sadly, many people are like me, and Jeremiah on the concrete road by the river.... "clip-clop, clip-clop...." and we miss it.  His Spirit is alive and well in Hunter..... and today, the Holy Spirit whispered, and gave Hunter the power to speak, with a knowledge beyond his years.

I hope and pray Hunter always listens.