Thomas and his Father

I live in a household dominated by teeangers.

Jonathan and Timothy are the driving forces in our home. They are busy with friends, sports, church activities, and now girls, work, and requests for the car. Weekends come, and my plans to hang out with Karen, watch a movie, or go out to dinner, are usually squashed by the Paris Hilton-esque social calendars of my teenage sons. They seem to go to any lengths to avoid being home or seen with me outside of church.

It makes me thankful for Thomas.

He's still 11. He's not a teenager yet, hasn't discovered girls, doesn't have to go "out" to have fun, and isn't a social networker like his brothers. He's been the easiest of our three kids to raise. He is easy to please, talented, funny, affectionate. He loves the things I love (baseball, Steelers, music). And every day he teaches me a simple lesson about God.

It is this: Every time he leaves for school, and every time he goes to bed, he asks for me.

"Tell Dad I said 'goodbye,' he says as he leaves for school if I'm not up yet. "Tell Dad 'goodnight' and I love him,' he relays through Karen to me if he is going to bed while I'm still downstairs watching TV. He can't leave the house or go to bed without communicating a quick message to his father. It's as if his life is not complete without an acknowledgement to me -- a word of love, a hug, a goodbye -- before moving on to even the most mundane of things like sleep or school.

I love my son. And I love what he teaches me. May I do the same with my Heavenly Father, every moment acknowledging him, telling him I love him, when I rise, when I sleep, when I am on the road or safe at home, so that no moment is lived separated from him.

Deuteronomy 5:4-9