"No, daddy, can we please talk in private?"

Yesterday I was unloading some things out of the truck and into our shed, a space heater I think, and some other store-ables. Just as I was forcing some room on a shelf, and concentrating on the next thing on my to-do list, Nathan and Zack come up with reports of a skirmish between them. Nathan had bumped a water bottle which was propped up at Zack's mouth and spilled the contents down the front of Zack's shirt. Nathan was apologizing. Zack was gasping. And I just mumbled something about it just being water and went on about my chores. About 15 min. later, now sitting in the living-room taking a short break, Nathan came up to me and asked to talk to me. Nathan had a look of confidence in his eyes so I agreed and said, "Sure, have a seat." To which he replied, "No, daddy, can we please talk in private?" "Well, sure."

We shuffled back to the bedroom and sat on his bunk. "So, what's on your mind?" I asked. Remember, Nathan just turned eight in February. "Well, daddy, I feel like sometimes, when I'm trying to talk to you about something which I think is important, you don't fully listen to me." He dropped his eyes. I sat stunned. I paused and thought a moment. Then I opened up wide to see what would follow. "Please, Nathan, tell me where and how. I certainly want to listen to you."  Nathan, raised his head back up and made eye contact with me. "Well, like just now. I was trying to tell you that I was saying sorry to Zack and he was not accepting it. Instead, he was just mad and running off. But it was an accident. And I wanted you to help with that."  "Oh, I see," I softly replied. "Well, I guess I do need to try and stop what I'm doing and listen better, when you guys are coming to me. I know I can get really focused on what I'm doing."  "Yes, you sure can," he said, as he nodded. "And I guess I do that quite often because I tend to stay so busy." "You sure do, daddy." We sat quiet for a moment. Then I added, "Ok, I want to change and do much better from now on. So let me know the instant I do that to you or anyone else so that I can work on changing it. Ok?" He smiled, "Ok, daddy, you got it." We both smiled. 

We hugged each other and I thanked him for being patient with me but also for taking care of me. I assured him that God was using him to help me and that I was very proud of him for becoming such a wonderful young man. As we were leaving the room I grabbed his shoulder and said, "Nathan, thanks again for taking a minute to talk to me."  To which he replied, "You're welcome. That was pretty much my first time." I just laughed as I picked him up and hugged him tightly. 

I hope it is his first time. He's amazing. But his learning to approach me with his feelings and thoughts  is not just an accident. He is learning that from this life we live, from the day to day workings within the Body of Christ, where sharing homes, and sharing lives requires us to really learn to talk to each other. Our children are the future, they say. Well, that future is only as good as our present. What we put into our kids today will determine what comes out of them tomorrow. Today I praise God for the great things being put into my children.