Boys

Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6

One of the scariest things about being a mom to boys is doing their laundry. If you have them you know exactly what I mean. Picture it with me. You stand before the washing machine holding a pair of your little boy's shorts. You can tell by the weight and feel of them that the pockets are loaded, but with what is the mystery. You must be brave and so you put your hand into the pocket terrified at what awaits your grip. You have no idea what this pocket hold but past experience tells you to beware, be ready, be brave.

That scene sound familiar? As a mom we can tell a lot about our boys from what they deem precious and important enough to be stashed in their pockets. I often find army men, basketball cards, sometimes waded up dollar bills from POP, nails or screws they find, rocks, candy wrappers (sometimes still filled with candy), dirty socks (I don't know why), the list continues...

I don't attempt to understand all their treasures, but with each finding I gain a deeper sense of who that boy is. I remind myself often that I am raising future men. It is not an easy job for I feel inadequate and often scared at times. Boys think differently and I don't always understand their methods. What I do know is that God created them to be caretakers. To be leaders. To be both physical and Spiritual heads of the home. My boys differ in so many ways but each one has the necessary qualities and I am reminded that it is my job to encourage the in their uniqueness. It is my job to see who they are as individuals and help them find a path on which they can excel.

I am blessed that my husband is my lifelong partner in this endeavor for the influence of the father in the home is crucial to the healthy upbringing of the boy. As my little boys grow into bigger boys it is then my job to slowly back into the distance as their father becomes the one they look to more often.

But I still do the laundry and so in the quietness of my laundry room I see glimpses of who they are and am reminded of where they have come from and how much they've grown. I may never understand the need to keep your dirty socks in the pocket of your shorts, but wouldn't trade the smile it brings to my face for anything.

Moms enjoy the time you have with your little boy for it passes quickly. Remember when they start to pull away and turn to dad, let them go. Moms can love their boys and teach them many wonderful lessons, but dads make men out of boys. Men that one day we will look up to with such love and pride. And think of those little pockets that we once braved........