A Lesson From Wesley

My younger son's bed is always in disarray when he gets up each morning.  He most definitely does not sleep in one position, he is all over the place. When I went to make his bed this morning both the top and fitted sheets were completely off the bed. As I reached behind the mattress to tuck the bottom sheet back in place, I caught a glimpse of brightly colored paper. "Uh-oh", I thought, "probably a form from school, karate or church that I have missed".  I reached between the mattress and headboard and pulled the paper out and saw in his precious 8 year old handwriting "thank you God mail".

I couldn't resist opening it up and reading what he wanted to say to God:

dear God
Please make my arm heal and thank you for food and water you bring all of us and make tomorrow a good day and make every day a good day please make my secret real. P.S. from Wesley Alden Cagle
thank you note for God.

I assume he wrote this couple of weeks ago after he had fallen off the trampoline and landed on his arm. Even though he was hurting, he was thankful.  What a lesson for me.  When life gets me down, gratitude is probably not the attitude I most often display but it is the right one.

As for the secret, I don't know what it is but I have been aware that he has been praying for something daily since the beginning of this school year. Another lesson for me. Persistence. Although it has been more than three months since school started, (I realize that in grown-up terms that's not long but in kid time it can seem an eternity) he is still praying.  I have also learned this year that as far as secret keeping in our family goes, Wesley is the only one who got that tiny nugget of DNA.

I am amazed at the faith that this short note shows too. My little boy has denounced the notions of the Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy and I believe he even doubts Santa Claus and not because of anything I've said.  I wanted him to believe for a while longer, he is my baby and the last one for whom we will have the opportunity to play those parts.  I am thankful that he realizes the reality of God even though unseen.

Praying that I might express my own faith with the childlike attitude of my sweet son.