Noah Learns Romans 7:15

Today at a friend's house, Noah got carried away in play and got caught up in a little bit of little boy mischief.  In the silliness and wild unsupervised activity upstairs, Noah and his buddy Nolan worked together to overpower Nave and pull his pants down.  :(  Now I can tolerate boys getting worked up and hyperactive and playing loud and crazy together, but I have no patience with my son ignoring boundaries about privacy and private parts.  I guard his innocence too ferociously to let this behavior slide and, dangit, he just knows better.  We have talked about this and don't mess around on this topic. So on the drive home, I really laid my disapproval and disappointment on thick, as well as lecture about wisdom, self-control, and, again, private parts.

Noah remained quiet the whole car ride home.  He didn't ask questions, he didn't contribute to the conversation.  He had nothing to say when I asked him for any kind of response. It leaves a momma wondering what he is thinking in response.  Does he agree, is he listening, is his attitude one of contrition or quiet defiance?  But then, as I held his door open for him to climb out, I could  see a struggle on his face; the struggle not to cry.  His upper lip went quivery but stiff, his cutie pie nose had nostrils slightly flared, he looked up at me and then glanced sideways, and looked up at me again and quietly muttered, "Does God still wuv me?"

Oh, y'all.  I could have hit the floor in tears, it was such a relief to know his heart was soft.  I dropped to my knees and hugged him to me so fast, it knocked him off balance.  It didn't matter, though, I was holding him so tight, whispering into his ear and stroking his thick, thick curls.  I adamently assured him of God's love for him ALWAYS.  And our love for him NO MATTER WHAT he ever does.  And I pounced on the opportunity to talk again about forgiveness, and how great our God is for that.  He boo hoo'd in relief and my heart melted at how entirely soft-hearted my boy is.

Later on at bedtime, Josh talked to Noah again (since apparently, I did all the talking in the car) about what happened at his friends' house.  When the talk was over, Josh came downstairs with a grin bigger than Texas spread across his face.  He said a tearful Noah had answered him, "I fink da devil took out my brain and put a different one in."  Josh took the opportunity to talk to Noah about how the devil doesn't control us, but he does tempt us, and he used the story of Eve and the apple as an example of this that Noah could really understand.  They prayed together asking the Lord to forgive him for his foolish choice today and for help with resisting temptation next time.  And I followed up with a prayer of thanks.  Thank you, Lord, for Noah's receptive attitude in the face of rebuke and correction.  Thank you for his sensitivity to your conviction.  Thank you for his teachable spirit!  Hold him fast like this forever, I beg you.  And bless him, Lord.  God bless my sweet Noah ... even on nights when he's pantsed someone.

I can't stop grinning over Noah's honesty and child-like attempt to articulate his confusion at himself, "I fink da devil took out my brain and put a different one in." It's 6 year-old speak for what Paul said in Romans 7:15, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." It's just so satisfying to watch your child grow up in the Lord, little by little. 

Bless him, Lord.
Bless his little heart.