Thomas

Ralphie’s little brother

January 12, 2011

I know it’s lovely. It truly is. We even had the first white Christmas these parts have seen in something like 600 years. It was dreamy. And though I know I should be content in today (and I am) I’m really excited about tomorrow. It always happens to me this time of year. I blame it on clothing store marketers. They know that once Christmas is over, they should quickly release their spring clothing lines so that every sorry sucker like me will start dreaming of bare feet and sand. I’m not proud of it, but somewhere around the 50th time that I am wrapping duct tape around my sons’ ankles to keep out the snow, I start thinking bare feet sounds a little easier.

Look at poor little Thomas on the end of that line. He looks like Ralphie’s little brother from the movie A Christmas Story. Poor kid. He gets all his sister’s leftovers. Lucky for us, he is still too young to know that he looks ridiculous.

It is fun though…

But so is boogie boarding in the waves when the temperature is 90 degrees.

Filed UnderA mother's heart, Thomas 6 Comments

Just one more

December 6, 2010

It’s Thomas’ most used sign language: “just one more”. One more M&M, one more book before nap time, one more sip of my coke. And because I am his mother, I delight in giving it to him. I love to watch him as I hand him that one more of whatever it is he is requesting, he usually squeals and runs in place with excitement, grinning from ear to ear. The most amusing part of the game is that we both know that he really doesn’t mean it. I play the game with him because it’s so stinkin’ cute, but I know full well that as he agrees to only needing one more, he’s gonna change his mind and think to himself “well maybe just one more after that”.

In the midst of our ritual the other day, I started wondering if I do the same thing with God. Do I say and ask and pray too often for just one more? Just one more answer Lord. Just one more blessing Lord. Just one more victory Lord. Now before anyone thinks that I am for one moment implying that our God does not delight in blessing His children, that He is not faithful to always redeem His children, that He does not always hear and answer the prayers of His children, let me clarify. The Lord says in Malachi 3:10, “Test me in this, and see if I do not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it”. God loves and is willing to pour out blessing; but I just wonder if He sometimes wonders when I am gonna notice the blessings that He has already given. Maybe He is thinking, “oh I can I pour out more blessing, but I’d kinda like for you to rest in the blessing that I gave you yesterday”. Does that make sense, or I am delusional on this one? I do not have the slightest idea why that came to me the other day as my little man was asking me for one more, but it did. Maybe I just needed a Holy Spirit reminder that one more M&M might not be what my soul really needs. Maybe one more sip of coke is just one sip too many. And maybe my weary soul would do well to just be still and know that He is God, that He himself is enough, and I might just not need one more of anything after all. Just a thought…

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A Pirate Looks at Two

October 17, 2010

I wasn’t going to wait until my boy was turning forty before I threw him a pirate party. His pirate party came this past weekend to celebrate birthday number two.

He was Captain Thomas, of course.

Other pirates were there too. Some Landlubbers. Some Buccaneers. A Scurvy Dog or two showed up. And then there was Thomas’ Me Hearty.

Adult pirates:

Young pirates:

Mommy pirates:

Pirates that were getting into Captain Thomas’ rum punch:

Pirate ship cupcakes:

All the pirates left with booty, their very own treasure to take home.

My treasure was hanging from around my neck, and I’m not talking about the gold coin necklace.

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Stop Doubting and Believe

October 14, 2010

His story really starts many years before he was born, because his story started with my story. I was wrestling with disbelief and fear and depression. I was wrestling with all things in the world that are horrible like 9/11 and cancer and suffering. I went to church and tried hard to have the blind faith that I was supposed to have. Because believing was supposed to easy, right? Those that really believe, those real Christians, never struggled with blind faith. It was easy. So where did that put me? Because I was struggling.

And then one week the struggle was overwhelming. I remember crying and wondering what if we are all just wrong? What if He really never did raise up from the dead? What if I really am not redeemed after all? What if there still is a record of all my wrong? What if? I walked through my church doors that Sunday with all my “what ifs”. And in case no one has ever told you, that is exactly where God loves to have you. God delivers the broken and the disheartened. He meets the needs of his people that cry out to Him.

That Sunday my beloved pastor preached on Doubting Thomas, on that Sunday my God met me right where I was and told me to stop doubting and believe. He is a personal God, who desires a personal walk with you. He doesn’t miss or overlook the sufferings of His people.

Fast forward many years later to when we found out I was pregnant with a son. I knew his name would be Thomas. He is my personal reminder of the grace and patience and love and deliverance of my God. It is rare that I say my son’s name and do not think of that Sunday when God stood before me with holes in His hands and said “Put your fingers here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” John 20:27

Today my Thomas turns two. What a blessing his life has been to us! One day our God will stand before him with the same proposal he had for me that Sunday, a proposal of rest if only I would believe. He stands before all of us at some point in all of our lives with that proposal. May our responses be that of the no longer doubting Thomas who responded with “My Lord and my God”. Won’t you stop doubting and believe.

Filed UnderA mother's heart, Jesus, Thomas 12 Comments