From the back of the van

We're driving north on 35W up where it joins 94 Eastbound and we're listening to a kids' music CD.  Mark calls, "Mom?" and I shut off the CD so I can hear him. 

"Mom, why doesn't God have a lifespan?"

I take a deep breath, hoping I'm up for this and reply, "Not having a lifespan is one of the things that makes God, God.  Everything else has a lifespan- people, animals, trees.  God created everything but God was never created.  God always was.  That's one of the things that makes God special."

"Mom, what about houses and fast roads and lights?"

"Houses and fast roads and lights are not alive so they don't have lifespans."

"No, Mom.  Houses, lights- did God make those?"

"Oh, actually, people built those.  God made metal and trees and people took those and created houses and lights.  God creates things and He made people so we could be like Him and create things, too, except that things we make aren't alive.  Do you know what the most special thing people can create is?"

"No."

"Babies.  God lets us create more new people just like He created everything alive.  We make things because God makes things and we're like God.  The most special thing we create, the only living thing we can make, are babies.  God let us participate in creating with Him.  Isn't that great?"

"Yeah, Mom.  Could you turn the CD back on?"

I drove on slightly stunned.


A couple weeks later, we're walking to our car in the church parking lot on our way to a service project for the morning.  Anjali's gone to one for older people and Mark and I are hustling to drive to ours on time. 

I say, "Mark, we need to hurry and be on time today."

"Why, Mom?"

"Well, who are we working for today?"

Silence.

"We're working for God, buddy.  God works for us every day- making the sun shine and the rain come.  God is good to us every day and today is our turn to say thanks to God by working for Him.  So, we need to be on time, ready to go, ready to work hard, not make messes, and be great helpers.  Let's hurry so we can be on time."

We arrive and walking from the car to the door, we review.  We're working for God to say thank you for God working for us.  We're going to be great helpers and do our best.

Mark says, "God is happy when we help people."  And with smiles we walk in.

As we approach the group receiving instructions, I lift him up so he can see everyone, my hearts swells, and I whisper in his ear, "Mark, do you see all the grown up daddies here today ready to work for God and help people?  When you're a grown up daddy man, you're going to be a good helper."

Mark nods, eyes on all the men, and I feel an electric moment, like something has passed from me and these men to my son.

Then we work and work and work sorting donations- gifts, cake mixes, party supplies- for this charity's Birthday Room, a cubicle in a warehouse where parents can come, choose a gift for their child's birthday, wrap it in a gift bag, and choose cake and frosting to make at home.  Mark and I got to unwrap thousands of donated bags of presents, sort by gender, and box until they were needed.  Talk about the best service project ever!  It was like Christmas on steroids getting to unwrap and touch every toy, book, and piece of candy.  And then we never have to pick them up or put them away ever again- a mother's dream!  Seriously a blast.

After 2 hours, Mark starts playing with toys and I throw out expired cake mixes.  I find him sitting on the floor of the Birthday Room, playing chess with one of the grown up daddies. 

As we walked to the van, I say, "Mark, I'm really proud of you for being a hard worker and a good helper.  You did a good job.  I'm also very proud of you for knowing your limits, finding something positive to do, and choosing a good friend to play with.  I'm very proud of you."

We drove to pick up Anjali and I ask Mark, "How do you feel?"

"I feel great!  It was great being a helper."

"Do you know why it's great being a helper?" I ask.  No answer.  "Because God likes helping people.  When God helps people, God is happy and we are like God so when we help people, we feel happy.  What makes God happy makes us happy, too.  Do you know where all those presents we opened and put in boxes are going?"  No answer.  "They are for moms and dads who don't have enough money to buy a birthday present for their boys and girls for their birthdays.  How would that feel if you were a dad and you didn't have money to buy a present for your sweetpea?"

"Not-so-hot-so.  Really sad."

"Yes, very, very sad.  So this is why people who have enough money gave presents for free so that the moms and dads without enough money could come and choose a birthday present.  It's really wonderful.  And you were a helper today getting all the toys sorted so that moms and dads can find what they need when they need it.  The people who gave the gifts won't see who gets them and neither will we, but some mom or dad who loves their sweetpea will get our presents.  That's really great."

"Mom, why don't the people with the presents just give them to somebody?"

"Buddy, they did give them to somebody- somebody who will come to the Birthday Room."

"No, why didn't they give the present to somebody in their hand?"

"Oh.  Sometimes we want to give a present but we don't know who needs one.  But God always knows who needs the presents so if we give the gifts to God then God can get them to the right person.  We may not see it but God knows."

"Mom, it's like glories."

"Glories?"

"Yes, glories."

I could feel the power of this moment.  "You're absolutely right.  In the beginning, God had all the glories but having all the glories didn't make God as happy as sharing them, so God shared His glories with us and when we share our glories with other people, we're happy, too.  God gives us glories every day and He gives us glories whether we share them or not because it makes Him happy.  But what makes God especially happy is when we share our glories and when God is happy, we're happy, too."

I felt something pass through me to Mark and feeling him receive it I received it, too.
We both got glories.