theology from the backseat of a mini-van

wow. i can't believe it. on wednesday, my son turned 10 years old. double digits!!!

anyway, this year we decided to give my son a choice. he could either have a party like usual, or, he could do something cool with a friend. he decided to do something cool with a friend.

have you ever just listened to the conversations that your children have? i'm not talking about eavesdropping. i mean just listened while they talk to someone their own age. i got to do that this weekend.

my son desperately wanted to go to the dayton art institute to see the roman world exhibit. so for his birthday, we took him and a friend to see it. when we picked up his friend, also a 9 year old boy, we were listening to the radio. k-love. the song "so long self" by mercyme was playing. the 2 boys then went into a 10 minute discussion on what the song was actually about. i must say, as a parent, i was very happy to listen to the conversation. i didn't know the boys family very well. he was on my son's soccer team. but it was so cool to find that this was the type of kid my son choose to be friends with.

anyway, after about 10 minutes the boys decided that the song was about choosing to be a christian and telling satan that he wasn't allowed in your life anymore. i decided not to join the conversation. i wanted to hear how they would come to their decision. it was humorous in some spots, and almost tear-jerking in others, to hear how they came to their conclusions.

i don't think i spoke more than once or twice all the way to the museum. i was too wrapped up in listening.

many times, we worry about the future. we wonder how much to shelter our children. we struggle between the fine line of protecting them from the world and hiding them from it. the truth of the matter is this. one day, my son will have to choose for himself. he will have to decide between the world and eternity. good vs evil. God vs satan. and i won't be there to take him by the hand. i have to trust that i've done the job entrusted to me. that i've taught him to make those decisions on his own. man. that scares me. but the truth is, at some point, we have to give them the chance to make choices.

i like to ask my son about my lessons on sunday morning. sometimes, it's really funny to hear what he gets from my teaching. and it never fails, he always adds something that i didn't think of. i told him i'm going to have to run things by him before i give them. before long, i think he's going to be asking me what i think of his ideas for sermons.

wouldn't that be cool

much love
theoldmusicbox