The Light Saber Devotion

Last weekend, my husband told a story in his homily about one of our boys.  As we talked about it, I realized, though it is an oft-told memory in our family, I had never blogged about it.  I did, however, write about it in a short collection of pre-Lenten devotions I wrote several years ago.  So, since this blog is the place for family memories to be immortalized, below is the original devotion about the light saber story. :)

The Lord be with You. . .Because the Force Isn't!

Reading:  For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.  Romans 3:23-25

Many years ago, one of our sons received a light saber as a gift.  Actually, if memory serves, all three of our sons received a light saber, and I have no one to blame by myself, since I was the purchaser of these weapons.  But they're boys!  Boys need light sabers, right?  So said my husband!  That is what I told myself while standing in the toy section at Kohl's, three light sabers in hand.  I recall even calling my husband -- is it really a good idea to give three wild and crazy little boys weapons? On purpose?  He reassured me that it would be fine, so I used my Kohl's coupon and bought all three for Christmas.

Fast forward a month or two.  The boys love the light sabers.  "Thank you mom and dad, you're the best!"  They understood the rules:  no light sabers open and wielding on the main floor -- they were only allowed to be used in the basement. Things were going along pretty well and the boys were following the rules and using them responsibly.  I'm sure I was patting myself on the back about our decision.

But one winter evening, when Daddy was out of town (of course!), one of our sons was holding his (unopened, therefore legally allowed) light saber in the family room.  And for reasons still not fully known to us, the Force was in reverse and the light saber flew right out of his hand.  Through the sidelight of our picture window.  Our just-replaced-two-years-ago picture window.

Immediate tears and hysteria ensued, followed by a phone call to Daddy (which began with me saying, "Are you sitting down?" and ended with a tearful apology and forgiveness granted).

We soon got an estimate to repair the window, and it came in at $400.  Our young son wanted to make things right.  He insisted that he pay for that new window.  $400?  Even if he saved every penny for the next five years, he wouldn't be bale to pay that debt.  So he handed over what he had, which totaled about $15.

$15?  Way short of a new window!  The window had to be fixed but he couldn't pay it.  So we covered the rest.  We paid a debt our son couldn't pay.

Sounds familiar, doesn't it? We Christians call it "grace".  We receive what we don't deserve.  Mercy.  "All have sinned and fall short". Way short.  But we are "justified" (made right with God) "by his grace as a gift through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith".

My son was grateful for our forgiveness to him, even at his young age.  As we prepare to enter Lent in just two days, may we grow increasingly grateful for this great grace that has been gifted to us:  the blood of Jesus that covers our sins.

Discussion/Reflection:  When did you receive a gift (maybe forgiveness) that you didn't deserve?  How did you react?

Prayer:  We do not deserve it, Jesus, but you give it anyway. Thank you for your grace and make our gratitude grow.  Amen.

On Time Travel

My high school English teacher asked for essays on Facebook and gave all her friends this prompt:

If you could go backwards or forwards in time, would you? Which way? What year or time period? Where geographically? Why did you choose that time and place?

My aunt wrote a lovely piece about going to church with her family when she was small, and I adored reading her memories about her mom and dad (my grandparents), especially since her dad died when she was young.  After I read her memories, I pondered the prompt myself.  What time period would I enjoy going to?

Backward to my own childhood, full of beautiful memories and happiness?  Forward to see my children and grandchildren many years from now?  Backward to a specific historic event? But while these would all be meaningful, I kept coming back to another time:  when my own children were little.  

Having big kids (and almost-big kids) is fabulous!  I've blogged time and again about how wonderful parenting teens and young adults is proving to be.  But I cannot tell a lie.  My heart still pines for some things that are behind us now, and oh how much I'd love to catch some glimpses of those days again.  In no particular order, moments I'd love to revisit:

• baby snuggles: Even in the middle of the night, while sleep deprived!  Oh how I'd love to cuddle my babes, smell their baby scent and kiss those velvety cheeks.
• toddler laughter: I'm so thankful I teach preschoolers, because I still am able to hear and soak in the euphoria of a toddler or preschooler.  How I'd love to hear my little ones cracking up over their own jokes, the hilarity of a zoo animal or while having their tummy tickled.
• wrestling:  This still happens here, and I'm super glad it does.  It was a little different back then, though, and I'd love to hear my husband announce "Switch ON!" and hear the squeals of delight as all the kids tackled daddy.
• firsts:  First steps, first baths, first words, first day of school.  So many exciting moments when you're small!  
• holding hands: While I am still grateful to have one child young enough to hold hands with her mamma, I miss the days when my two hands weren't enough.  I recall walking ahead of my children and putting my hands out behind me, palms to the rear, and knowing that within seconds, both my hands would be filled with a chubby little hand.
• Speaking of, chub:  Oh, the chubby little legs, hands, cheeks, and arms.  How I would love to stroke a chubby little cheek again or change a diaper with chubby thighs wiggling everywhere.
• Bible stories and prayers:  We still do both now, but I'd love to go back to the crazy bedtimes, full of wiggles and prayers only little ones can dream up, but sincere nonetheless.
• I love yous:  Again, I am so thankful that my kids still tell me they love me, but how I'd love to hear a little voice proclaiming it, with such euphoria.  Or to hear one of my sons say, as he so often did: "I love you, little mommy!"

I know those days were hard.  They were often really, really hard.  But they were also wonderful, and I enjoyed them so much, even amidst the exhaustion and angst I sometimes felt.  And as I said earlier, each subsequent stage has been full of its own beauty and wonder.  Perhaps, if I pondered this question again in 10-15 years,  I'd be anxious to come back to the this very time I'm in now -- of tweens, teens and young adults and everyone (mostly) at home.

But for today, I'm content in reminiscing about those early years, when things felt a bit simpler and oh-so-precious.