Boys aka Sons of Thunder
My
husband likes to bemoan the fact that we have a team of boys. Every once in a while he’ll cry out to some
fellow parent, “Why couldn’t I have had four cute little girls?” Invariably, these supportive friends will
state emphatically, “Oh, boys are so much easier!” This kind of response can only be delivered
by someone who does not have a plethora of sons.
Webster
defines easy as not hard or difficult, free from trouble, pain or worry. It must be a different “easy” our friends
refer to when they are talking about boys.
My
boys are not “easy” according to Webster’s definition. They’re challenging. Somehow every one of my boys has turned out
with strong opinions and stellar debate skills though untrained. They can argue about anything. Doing the dishes, practicing the piano, making
their bed, walking the dog, politics, the weather, whether or not their pants
fit, doing schoolwork, who ate the last piece of pizza…or the last pizza – but
the crème of the crème for fighting is who
will ride shotgun when we go out. They
will brawl, run, deceive and swindle to get that front seat.
They
also like to give unsolicited advice – to each other, to their parents, to
other relatives, to teachers – even pastors.
Somehow, we have raised confident young men – unafraid of public
speaking.
The
uninitiated will find that boys smell.
Farting is a common theme in a house of boys. How loud it is, how bad it smells, who gets
to smell it. Foul odors seem to appear
in small enclosed areas where escape is futile.
Opening windows in frigid weather while driving fifty miles an hour is
routine in a car filled with boys.
Then
there’s bathing or not bathing. Food has
been banned in our house prior to bathing.
He who is not clean will not eat!! There have been boys that will get wet in
order to say they’ve showered, but will still neglect to use soap. Lack of suds doesn’t mean they will be out of
the shower quickly, however – they still manage to drain the water heater and
clog the bathroom for thirty minutes without soap. Deodorant must be kept in a prominent
location where applying it is unavoidable.
This may mean strapped to the refrigerator door handle with a sign - Apply Before Opening!
A
few years back, my husband gave a job to two of my sons – washing the windows. He then left the house to run some
errands. As the boys were working on the
second floor windows, one decided to snatch the ladder. The other dangled from the window sill of the
second floor. They found it amusing to
display their acrobatic abilities for their mother. They survived. Someone once said there was a special place
in heaven for the mother of sons – that day I really wanted to send them
there. Today, one rides a motorcycle and
the other is a Marine. No worries,
right? Boys are so much easier than girls!!!
Does
it seem likely that Jesus nicknamed James and John “Sons of Thunder” because
they were meek and mild? How about
Jesse? How do you think he felt to be
asked, after parading seven sons before Samuel, “Is this all the children?”
Seriously!? Seven isn’t
enough?!? You should see them eat! What do you mean is this all? Those would have been my thoughts anyway.
There’s
no doubt that boys can be a handful, but being a boy is not a bad thing. Our culture doesn’t like boys. In fact, one could make the case that there
is a full on war against them. Watch
this:
Mark
Twain is reported to have said, “When a child turns twelve, he should be kept
in a barrel and fed through the bung hole, until he reaches sixteen…at which
time you plug up the bung hole.”
Although
I sympathize with this sentiment, there must be a better way.
The
phrase “my son” is used twenty-six times in the book of Proverbs. Advice to sons must have been pretty
important for it to be recorded in the Scriptures.
My son, observe the commandment of your father and do not forsake
the teaching of your mother; bind them continually on your heart; tie them
around your neck. When you walk about,
they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; and when you
awake, they will talk to you. For the
commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light; and reproofs for discipline
are the way of life (Proverbs 6:20-23).
Since
I homeschool, I feel I’ve spent a substantial amount of time teaching my
sons. I would like to think I’ve taught
my children well. I can’t always tell if
this is the case, however. It would seem
mom and dad must instruct, but those boys must be teachable.
My son, if you will receive my words and treasure my commandments
within you, make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline you heart to
understanding; for if you cry for discernment, lift your voice for
understanding; if you seek her as silver and search for her as hidden
treasures; then you will discern the fear of the Lord and discover the
knowledge of God (Proverbs 2:1-5).
This
is actually encouraging, because mom and dad can’t take all the blame for
wandering, inattentive sons. The sons
have to want to know and follow the Lord.
How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. With all my heart I have sought You; do not
let me wander from Your commandments.
Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against
You. Blessed are You, O Lord; teach me
Your statutes. With my lips I have told
of all the ordinances of Your mouth. I
have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate on Your precepts and regard
Your ways. I shall delight in Your
statutes; I shall not forget Your word (Psalm 119:9-16).
So,
I will pray for my sons, love them, keep the refrigerator stocked, the windows
open, get a second water heater, and stock up on soap and deodorant. I will continue to teach and strive to live
consistently according to God’s word. So
maybe when they start asking David’s question they will already know the
answer.
You rocked it, girl! I was laughing out loud! You hit the nail on the head! xo
ReplyDelete