To Serve

I have shadowed many friends. This year....in several weeks in fact, many of my friends will be saying goodbye to eighteen year olds that will head off to college. Many are first-born, many are an only child, mine is both.

Although he is a junior, he still lives at home and he has come a long way from the "superman" costumes. The days of "dressing him up" are long gone and all the teeth are permanent [and straight]. There is no going back on growing up. Today, my little boy is sick. Remember the days when you had to stay home from work because the daycare wouldn't take them? Remember the nights you stayed awake just to make sure they could breathe through the congestion? It doesn't change.

He woke up sick and stayed home. I had a full day planned out. I had a dental appointment at 8:00, was going to look for a specific sign for Bible Study, wanted to run by the Macy's sale, had to look for a shirt, and none of that with the exception of the dental appointment, happened. Instead, after my appointment I got a phone call "Mooooooom, where are you?" "Can you get me some Gatorade? I need something for my nose, my throat hurts"

All familiar requests except at age 4 they had a little more of a whine. While at the local pharmacy, I decide to pick up some movies because what else can he do with a headache and sore throat? No sooner did I get home with the rememdies than he says "Mom, I'm hungry. I really would like Subway." Off I go to Subway. I order just what he wants and head back home. Once I'm up the stairs he asks "Mom, will you get me a Gatorade from the fridge?" Of course, I walk back down and get it. We watch a movie* he ate his sandwich and then left my bed to fall asleep in his.

As he walks away I think "Wow, that's alot of serving." Then it hits me...he is my son. I love him and when he is sick, I want to serve him. I don't want him to wobble down the stairs in a groggy state to get Gatorade, I don't want him to drive for lunch, I don't want him to run a temperature so I go for the Tylenol.

The bigger issue for me however is that in one year, he will be gone. There will be no more child to serve, no more child to take care of. No more "Mooooooom" from another bedroom. It weighs heavy on me. Into the evening he is still asking for water, gatorade, something for a headache and then he dozes off.

When he is asleep, I walk to his bed and watch him. Just watch him breathe and see how much he has grown. I stare as his eyes are closed and his head is tilted and I wonder...."What else can I do for you." When he is not there I get on my knees and pray for him, for his future, his decisions, his friends.

At times, "serving" may seem laborious, it may disrupt our plan, it may not be on our calendar and all the while, we may only get one shot.

In Mark 10:45 we read "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many." As I watch my son sleep and realize my time with him is short, I ask myself "How does he feel? What does he need? What would make him feel better?" At this point, I'm willing to walk to the store to get him some Gatorade.

Why is it that we feel that way with those we love yet many feel it a drudge to serve Christ? We don't have time, we have other plans, we don't have a ride, we're busy with school business...

My prayer is that I will be enthusiastic about serving my God, my church and my family and that I will serve as serving unto Christ.

Serve wholeheartedly as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does..." Ephesians 6:7-8

*The movie we rented One hit From Home, was from RedBox and was a PureFlix production. This was new to us but the preview highlighted another movie titles What If. My son said he would like to see it....I will look for it, maybe for a movie night with my son!