365 Day 74 Sweet Surprise

I hear the mudroom door open and close softly as I sit at my computer late in the evening. I know it is my boy coming through that door. I love that sound. I never tire of it. The shuffling of feet, keys jingling into pockets, the turning of the knob to close the door behind him; he is home again. I know there are not too many of these nights left to come in the future. He is becoming a man so fast. It will not be long at all before he will be raising a family of his own, walking though his own back door.

This time he comes bearing a gift. He extends a lovely pear blossom branch in my direction. ” For you” he says sweetly. My heart flutters a little. A surprise from my son. A love offering. I am taken back to days gone by when he would bring in a wrinkled bunch of jonquils from the pasture hill, eyes beaming with joy. I would hurriedly put them in a vase on the table as he watched proudly. I was proud too. Can this be the same boy who towers above me now?

Tonight I could see a heaviness on him. He said he had been walking at the park, just praying. He talked like a man, the man I had prayed he would grow to be. A man after God’s own heart. He talked about wanting to love people, about what kind of life he wanted to lead. My eyes brimmed with tears in gratitude. These are the kinds of words mothers wait their whole lives to hear. I know I did not earn this. It is a gift from God, much like the flowers in my son’s hands. With God’s help, we have raised a man — a man who loves God, who is smart and brave and who cares for the needs of others. With God’s help, we have raised a warrior and a generous spirit.

As I place the branch in the old turquoise mason jar, we move onto lighter subjects. We laugh and share a few stories about our day. He always makes me laugh. I watch his eyes crinkle at the corners over his strong cheekbones. I can’t believe time has moved on so swiftly. Those cheeks that were once chubby and so pinch-able are now chiseled and scruffy.

He will be 21 this Saturday. Legally, he will be a man, but his heart has already proven so.

I love you, my son. I am so proud of you.

 

Proverbs 3:5,6 ~

“Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
    don’t try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
    he’s the one who will keep you on track.”