Kaleb is Growing Up

     This week our church had a men’s emphasis week. On Thursday, we had a men’s event with a speaker who encouraged men not to try to do it alone because Satan is out there like a roaring lion seeing whom he can devourer. Then today, Saturday, one of the core men’s groups had a father/son mission’s trip. 

     Kaleb turned 11 in December, however, he is a big boy and he looks older than he is. I thought he was too young to go to the men’s event. I do let him come to the men’s Bible study I lead, but a lot of that is because he is very helpful, he likes to study the Bible, he makes the muffins every week for the men, and plays host by getting the men’s coffee. However, I am not in charge of the men’s event so could not give that privilege to him.

     Kaleb asked early Sunday morning if he could come Thursday and I had told him no, it was just for men. After the sermon, there was a video advertising the men’s event. When Kaleb saw the video, he begged to come. I said no. Without missing a beat he said, “I will make muffins”. I told him that would be like 400 or 500 muffins just so everybody could get one. His gave the classic kid’s answer, “So.” You also have to realize that this is all going on during announcements and it was all I could do to keep from bursting out laughing. 

     Kaleb then asks, “Can I ask him?” pointing to Gil Harris, the man in charge of the men’s event. I said sure. He was bound and determined that he wanted to go and I saw that he was not going to take “no” from me. About this time, they asked us to stand for prayer. Kaleb got up, turned around so he could put his foot on the stage front like a starting block, and as soon as they said “Amen” Kaleb sprinted to Gil. I was concerned for Gil, because as I said Kaleb is a big boy and once you get him started it is hard to stop him. 

Well, Gil obviously said yes, in fact, he said, “I better see you there.” After Kaleb told me that he could go he also whispered, “And I did not have to say anything about making muffins.” I had to laugh then.  

On the way to the men’s event I told Kaleb about a blog I read from our Missions Pastor about how they were going to have a father and son mission’s trip. He was pretty excited, which to be honest, was what I had hoped. I had taken my older kids to Mexico when they were a little bit old then he is now and it was a real life changing experience for them. Therefore, Kaleb and I decided that if we saw Omar (our Missions Pastor) we would talk to him about it. Well, before the meeting, we saw Omar and talked to him about it and he invited us to come along and join him. 

     We enjoyed the men’s event, there were great videos, and the speaker was a retired Marine who spoke about a band of brothers and always having someone to have your back. The speaker gave out cards with a big 6 on the front and on the back, it said I have blank’s 6 and blank has my 6. When we got to the van that night, I talked with Kaleb and we agreed that we would have each other’s 6 and signed the cards. I am planning to get them framed. 

     Today we just got back from the mission trip we went to a halfway house ran by a church called Manna House. First, I have to tell you I got Kaleb up early and he was exited and wanted to go, this does not always happen in the early morning. We got there and started right in digging some ditches for water lines so they could irrigate their gardens. The rest of the day, we spent taking a big sand pile and using it to fill low spots on the grounds so later it can be used for more gardens or buildings. It sounds pretty mundane, but it was hard work and I am sore as I am writing this. Kaleb worked hard and tried to do everything; he even pushed the wheel barrel once even though he was the youngest son there (this is funny, you ask him to clean his room and nothing happens). However, Kaleb was upbeat and excited the whole time. We then had a service with the men from the house. This was nice. A couple of men told their testimony about how they got into drugs, got to a low point, and found Jesus and how they were trying to straighten out their lives. We also went out to eat with the men from the house and ate more Pizza (twice in 3 days is a little much for me).

On the way home Kaleb was all excited. He said, “I have now been on my first Father/Son Missions trip and it was cool.” He was also planning. He was saying, “We need to go back like every month and fill in more and then they could have a baseball diamond.” (I guess I should have mentioned that Kaleb is really into baseball and especially the Astros). 

     I say all of this to show that my little boy is becoming a man. You can see he is still a boy because of some of his actions and the things he says; but by Kaleb wanting to be identified with men and wanting to be around men, it shows me he will very soon be a man. I am losing my baby but I am gaining a man.