The Importance of the ‘C’ Word

Listening to ‘grace’ being sung from my son’s bedroom at 7:39PM is a bit strange, especially when I know he is lying there with no food. Surrounded by construction vehicles, plastic army men, and of course Curious George, Isaac bellows out the words for my attentive ears down the hall. The song grows louder with each new line and stronger as the thankfulness increases. It is at this moment, that I begin to realize that my life is like a comedy sitcom, with a fresh episode every day, and new seasons with exciting and sometimes dramatic plot twists.

Isaac’s voice starts to deepen, like a Dwarf shanty from The Hobbit:

“God is greattttt, for giving us friends…God is greatttt for giv’n us fooooodd. For the friends we eat, and the fooooddd we eat! God is goooddd (insert deep voice) God is gooooooood.”

Interesting…we’ve started the year off by saying grace at the wrong time, with no food, and a dab of cannibalism.

Not a great start to 2022 Isaac! (Just kidding:) )

With a smile on my face, I descend the stairs for some well deserved R@R. Isaac’s meloedy starts to mix with a song now coming from Ava’s bedroom. A mish-mash of Jesus Loves Me and the Paw Patrol characters.

Double blessings.

After grabbing a cup of Starbucks decaf coffee, I find my chair in the living room and begin reflecting on the past few weeks. How I injured my arm (which lead to me being put off work by my Doctor), home for Christmas with my family and the freshness of the New Year. With this time of reflection came a period of thankfulness, self evaluation and more reflection.

With the New Year approaching, I started to ask myself what needed to change in my life. When I say change, I do not mean New Years resolutions (because as most of us know they don’t work). What I am refering to is ‘real and lasting chance’ – change that can only happen in my life through prayer, reading my Bible and spending time with the Lord. I’ve tried the resolutions before, I have read different books and recieved advice from trusted friends; all of which I am thankful for and appreciate. Sometimes I need something hammered into my hard noggin, and the perfect person to help me with that task is God…

…and also my son, Isaac.

Here’s what happened.

H + I = Consistency.

One snowy afternoon last week as I sat in my living room, I saw a glimpse of blue and red approaching my face from the right. It was Hermie the Elf closing at break neck speed, firmly grasped by his captor, Isaac.

My heart lightened a shade.

Dear Hermie and I cemented a bond many years ago, after I watched Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, which first aired in 1964, a classic stop-motion Christmas movie. Narrated by Burl Ives, the movie portrayed a host of characters who all had their own issues, but worked together to embrace who they were and use their talents for the benefit for all.

As a child, Hermie and I instantly connected (little did he know it). Just as he didn’t fit in with the other elves because he didn’t like making toys but wanted instead to be a dentist, I also didn’t fit in with many of my peers in school because I was a practicing Christian.

So that is a small snapshot of my past and how I came to really enjoy Hermie. Now standing in front of me is my 3 1/2 year old, pressing Hermie’s activation button like a gamer try to beat a boss level.

*CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK*

“We’re nothing but misfits, we’re nothing but misfits. What’s the matter with misfits? That’s where we fit in…”

Over and over and over.

After all of Christmas, my fondness for Hermie survived -I’ll admit it was hanging by a thread- as his song was embedded into my brain. But Isaac? He couldn’t get enough of it. Big smiles and shoulder moving actions to mimic the foot high elf bobbing on my end table.

Over and over and over.

I seriously pondered this question: did Isaac have a love infatuation with Hermie while in Melissa’s womb? It seems this bond and love for my little friend was just a cemented as mine. Then it happened.

“Hermie’s mine,” Isaac declared, as he patted his chest with his little hand. “He mine.”

“No, Hermie is mine.” I replied.

Without a seconds pause Isaac shot back,

“No, Hermie’s mine. He’s mine.”

We exchanged possessive exclamations back and forth for about one full minute.

I settled it by lifting Hermie from the end table and placing him on the fireplace mantle, ending the duel with my toddler with one final haymaker (figuratively not literally).

“Hermie is Daddy’s.”

Boom.

So let it be written, so let it be done. (Thank you Pharaoh).

Fast forward two days.

I am tucking Isaac into his bed, watching him scramble together his dump trucks, Paw Patrol characters and finally, he tucks in Curious George into his own little sheet. After saying his blessing and kissing him goodnight, I started to leave the room when I heard Isaac whisper,

“He’s mine.”

…………………….

Your kidding me?

“Hermie is mine, Dad.” He repeated again.

I felt my heart move. My eyes begin to fill up as I turned and faced my youngest child giving me the “The Rock Stare-down”.

This child wasn’t giving up. It then dawned on me.

His consistency was changing my mind and it was literally changing my heart. Isaac really was attached to Hermie.

He does know how to not give up.

Bringing it Home

During my period of self-reflection, I had prayed and asked God to show me something- to give me a word of encouragement for this New Year. In a world of chaos right now, depression, anxiety, technology that consumes and devours, and a virus that people keep saying is going to be beaten but yet keeps coming back and shutting everything down….we need Consistency.

That is the word I received and through my son, I experienced it. Consistency can change peoples hearts. It is the formula for inventors and visionaries to discover a new, life changing thing. It is the factor that is missing in many peoples lives as they give up their goals due to failures (which are just steps to success).

The power of consistency: never giving up and pushing on.

The most important, never changing, and consistent being that has ever existed is…

God. Yes that’s right, Jesus Christ. If you don’t believe me, crack open a Bible and start reading the gospels.

If someone hurt you in the church, or claimed to be a Christian and harmed you in some way, please don’t charge Jesus Christ with that persons crimes. Just like there are people who are frauds, fakes, and bad examples…sadly they also exist in the church as well. That’s because we are ALL human and we ALL make mistakes.

Jesus though…well He is the only one that has always been consistent and never sinned. In fact He came to earth from heaven, taught, healed, encouraged, and most importantly died a criminals death, taking your sin with Him, so you could have a personal relationship with Him right now when you ask Him to be your Lord and saviour.

Christianity is the only faith that offers anyone who comes and asks for forgiveness- and receives Jesus – a new life. Check it out for yourself, don’t take my word for it. I’ve witnessed numerous testimonies of hard line drug addicts coming to the Lord and their addiction to drugs vanish. I have seen people healed of cancer, people who were counted as worthless by others find….identity.

Consistency.

Many people think believing in God is for going to heaven and they can live whatever way they want now and just get ‘right’ with Him before they die.

That my friends, is one of the saddest misconceptions ever conceived. Jesus said,

The thief’s (Devil) purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfyingly life.

John 10:10

That means now, not just latter. We all have a personal decision to make and no one else can make it for you. Your families religion can’t save you. Your parents faith isn’t your faith and your denomination means a ‘title’ not salvation. With COVID raging around us, fear rampant, I have been hearing people say constantly, “What’s the point of it all?”

There is everlasting Hope. But you won’t find it in a needle or a bottle. You won’t find it in your spouse or partner. You won’t find it in money or games. Sports or activities.

You’ll find it in the Bible.

“Jesus said to him, “I Am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.”

John 14:6

My friends, I pray you have been encouraged today and remember.

Consistency.

Christian