framing up a miracle

It felt like an electric shock through my heart.

I stopped.  Stared at him for a second as he was kneeling on the floor.  He grinned at me, with that knowing look of his that makes him look 15 years old instead of 5.  Then he bent to his task again, cheerfully with a good will, and I stood watching him, rooted to the spot, this tingling warmth growing in my heart.

I’d asked them to clean up their toys before we played a game.  

He’d opened his mouth to say “Awww - “ and then stopped himself, mid-grumble.  

For a second, he sat motionless with his head down.  “Mom,” he’d said then, lifting his head, “I almost grumbled, but then I remembered our verse… Do - “ and I join in and say it with him, our voices both breaking into smiles - “all things without complaining or disputing.”  

I’m nodding, still smiling, feeling that tingle go right through me.  

“You know,” he adds, a toy in his hand, “when I had my head down?  I was praying.  I asked Jesus to help me do it without complaining.”  

I stood there rooted to the spot, a thrill of wonder in my heart, watching my son obey with a good will.  

Where have I felt this before? I thought.  Yesterday.  It was yesterday, when I was framing up green sunflower shoots poking through earth.  

I wanted to freeze this moment in time too, capture it like a photograph in my soul.  Frame up a miracle: my son’s heart, with the little green shoot of the Word poking up.  Word-seeds taking root in his heart, germinating, sprouting, pushing up to the surface.  

The weed of his sin choked out by the sturdy sprout of Truth. 

It was like physical green suddenly birthed into spiritual green: fresh, green miracles, outside the house and in.  

I was suddenly surrounded by glory.  

Today, I am thankful for:

The visible sprout of Truth.

Grace evident in my son's life. 

That our home is nurturing spiritual growth!

Sunflowers growing.

Seeds.  Every-day miracles.

Grace.  Every day undeserved, every day incredible.