One of my favoritest bloggers, Brooke McGlothlin, is part of the team at The MOB (Mothers of Boys) Society.
So when I saw her tweet this morning:
I was intrigued.
Not because I have any wisdom -- our boys are only 15 months and almost 5.
But because two nights ago, over dinner, we were able to have a really beautiful discussion with Stephen (almost 5) heaven. Earlier in the day, Stephen asked me a question that showed how much he is really trying to process all of the information that he has about God, Jesus, heaven and Satan.
More on that in a minute.
In Sunday school class a couple of months ago, he learned about Satan. So the whole way home he was making sure that we knew about him, and that he "is a really bad guy." Over the next few days he seemed really fixated on Satan being a really bad guy. Wanting to make sure that all his friends knew about Satan, and that he "is a really bad guy." So we gently, repeatedly, reminded him that we need to focus on Jesus, and what He did for us on the cross. And that if we are going to tell our friends about anyone, it should be Jesus.
Back to the other day.
Stephen came up to me and said, "Mommy? When Satan gets here are we going to die and go to heaven?"
I asked for just a little bit more clarification to make sure I understood what he was asking, and then was able to share with him that when GOD decides that it is time for us to be in heaven, THEN we go to heaven. He asked a few more questions about heaven, and we talked a bit more. Then he wanted to go play with his Legos.
At dinner time, we were eating outside, and talking a little bit about going to see the fireworks, because they had been postponed to the 5th of July because there had been fog on the 4th. All of a sudden, Stephen starts crying and says, "I'm going to miss my blanket." He is unreasonably attached to this blanket of his, so we naturally thought that he was talking about missing the blanket when we went down the road (not far away) to watch the fireworks. But, I asked, "what, honey?" And he said again, "I am going to miss my blanket, and this house." And he was really crying, big fat tears rolling down his face.
"When are you going to miss them?" We asked him.
"When I'm in Heaven," he sniffled.
My husband and I just looked at each other -- awed by the tender heart of our precious son.
We told him that Jesus was making him a special house that was SO much cooler than this one.
That Jesus knows how much he loves his blanket, and that there might be an even softer blanket in heaven for him, that might even have orange (his favorite color) stripes on it.
But, we told him, the best part about heaven is that we get to be with Jesus all the time!
The timid smile on his face as he tried to process the new information, how his eyes got big with excitement - are moments that I hope I remember for a long time.
Every now and then he will say something that lets me know that he is beginning to really, really understand what it means be a follower of Jesus. I am so happy that Jonathan loves Veggie Tales above all things -- he dances every. single. time he hears the sousaphone start playing the theme song! Because of that, Stephen has been very willing to watch Veggie Tales in favor of other shows which are definitely NOT on Mommy's list of "really excited that my kids are intaking this" programming. (Read: SpongeBob.)
We are so overwhelmed at the responsibility, and we are clinging to our Savior, knowing that He loves our precious son even more than we ever could.
(Linking up with MobSociety for "Growing Godly Men.")
