Pot Belly Potential

Shannon — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 23:43:00 GMT

Recently my mom was waiting in a lobby with our youngest, Cade. An older man sat on a bench nearby. He looked to be about eighty years old and had a huge pot belly. Without warning, Cade wandered over to the man, rested a hand on his protruding stomach, and looked up into his weathered face.

"Oh, no," panicked my mom, realizing that Cade was about to say something. Cade's candor is not always extremely complimentary. Mom braced herself, cringed, and prepared to move in with disaster relief. But rather than asking if the man had swallowed a watermelon or was pregnant, Cade looked earnestly up into the silver framed face and asked, "Are you a.... soccer coach??!"

I wonder how long it had been since this man had been asked such a question. Ten years? Twenty? To Cade, the possibility of him blowing a whistle and answering to 'coach' was in no way diminished by his wrinkly skin, gray hair, or pot belly. Since I'm beginning to collect all three of these, this sort of time defying optimism is invigorating!

I know that someday soon, Cade will stop asking great grandpas if they coach soccer. Just like Sarah stopped asking if God would give her a child. But my life coach, Jesus, will never put age limits on my game.

Jesus vs. The Cheesiest

Shannon — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 23:16:00 GMT

Me: "Why did Jesus die?"

Cade: "To save us from our sins."

Me: "Have you sinned?"

Cade: "Yea, like when I scratched Cole last night."

Me: "What is God's punishment for sin?"

Cade: "He says we have to die. Like, in hell."

Me: "How can you be saved from your sin?"

Cade: "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved. Hey, Mommy. You know what would be really great? Like, you know what would be really, really cool??

Me: "What?"

Cade: "If we could have, like a million billion boxes of macaroni and cheese in our cupboard! Wouldn't that be awesome??"

I have friends who would argue that Cade is saved. And this conversation does give evidence of faith and belief, but there's an ingredient missing: repentance. Cade has all the information, but he has not repented of loving other things more than Christ.

Cade would say he loves Jesus, but if he had to choose between Jesus and mac-n-cheese, it would be a toss up. As his parents, we will keep pointing out Christ's value and beauty to Cade, but it will ultimately be the Holy Spirit who allows him to see.

Tiny Paragraphs : Jesus, Change

Pot Belly Potential

Jesus vs. The Cheesiest