Growing Pains

In the last 12 months, my son has grown several inches. He’s also shaving twice a week and filling out. He’s much less a little boy and more a young man. I often tell people he was “born an old man” because he thinks and reasons more like an adult (even than many adults). Growing up brings both excitement and dread (or is that just for the parents?). 

My once little boy is only three inches shorter than I am (not that I am tall) at this writing. He eats a minimum of two servings of everything. When I tell him to eat fruit for a snack, he is likely to eat four oranges at a time, if I’m not paying attention. 

For the most part, he’s been a happy kid, even through long deployments and times of uncertainty. Some days, he’s more of a Grumpus than a sweetheart, but maybe we all are that way. He complains of body aches and having difficulty sleeping but he also has great empathy for those who are sick or hurting. 

In one month, he will become a teenager. In so many ways, he enjoys all the same things as ever. Building and creating with Lego, racetracks, and trains. He plays Mario, Pokemon, and Minecraft (though not as much as he would like). He reads books over and over. He is a pun master. 

As much as I hardly believe how much he’s grown, or how short a time I have left with him in my home, I do believe we are preparing him in all the best ways as he grows. From an early age, I’ve included him in the household tasks. He is able to do his laundry and wash dishes. He’s able to cook a few simple meals. He’s even able to entertain himself (when he wants to). He loves playing with babies and younger children or visiting with adults. He can hold his own in any situation. I can hardly wait to see what God does in his life.

These growing pains in the mundane moments add up to extraordinary days. Make every moment count, since we don’t know how many we get.