A Man in the Making

How does it happen? Seemingly, one minute you're dressing your little boy in overalls with a Gap ball cap and the next thing you know he has outgrown his Superman pjs and then he doesn't even want Superman pjs anymore.  My Zach, who is 13, is now as tall as me, and I'm 5'10"!  I had to shave some random hairs on his chin the other day - so weird for me.  Now our conversations range from school work, video games, and deep conversations about the origins of life, to excitedly talking about his day and the same girls name being mentioned several times...sigh

I was congested yesterday and Zach asked if we should get out the humidifier. I nonchalantly said it was probably a good idea. The next thing I knew, he had gotten it out of the closet, cleaned it, and filled it with fresh water. Then he carefully made sure it was in the right position to reach me. Later in the day, I decided it might help to replace the air filters so we made a trip to Lowe's.  Zach said, "Don't worry about it, Mom, I've got it." He grabbed the ladder, the duster, and the filters and went to work. He not only changed the filters but he dusted the registers too. I didn't ask him to do any of this. He was just taking care of me.

I look at him and see the little boy I once held.  All the trials, struggles, funny moments, and triumphs flash before me.  In my mind, I zoom forward 15 years and think what a wonderful husband he is going to make someday.

What a daunting task it is to be a parent.  God entrusts these little human beings into our care, knowing we are imperfect beings, yet if we are submitted to the Father's will, He will empower us to perform this task.  I have to admit, I've shed many tears over the years, just not knowing what to do or how to handle a situation.  Those times always draw me to my knees where I have poured about my heart to my heavenly Father.  He knows exactly what I'm feeling but it is so comforting to just tell Him anyway.  He's there and I have to remind myself He is just waiting for me to ask for help.  So, I make my petition, and without fail, I feel a fresh wave of hope wash over me.  Through my tears, I feel a renewed sense of courage and a knowing that all will be alright.

I know I have several years until Zach reaches adulthood, but it's days like yesterday that give me a glimpse of what a wonderful young man he is becoming and it makes me all the more humbled to know how much help I need.