How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. I John 3:1 (NIV)
Youngest son’s report card was in our post office box last week. I held it in my hand for a long time before opening it. There was a time in the not so distant past when they were a source of great despair. Several times, he was in danger of failing. He was on the list for a drop out prevention program. Teachers commented on his intelligence, but most acted like he would never even finish high school. I remember with clarity the shouting matches over homework. The tears and anger of both mother and son while dad tried to referee. Horrible scenes I would just as soon forget. It is different now since he found his niche at a charter school in our area. He does his homework, prepares his reports and remembers to turn them all in without prompting from me. He is doing well all things considered. This semester, however, he has a heavy load. American History, World History, Anatomy and Physiology Honors. Yes, honors. I can hardly imagine. He decided that he wants to go to college. Just a year ago, that was not something he would even consider. My concern over his courses was magnified by the fact that he had to have a 3.0 grade point average in order for us to get the good student discount on his car insurance. We gave him the privilege of driving based on his progress report, but our family rule is if you don’t have a B average, you do not drive. A 3.0 means a savings of $1,000 per year. It was going to be an ugly scene if we had to take his car keys away. So, I sat for a minute in front of the post office before slitting the envelope open. I was glad that I was sitting in my car for I could not believe what I saw. My child, formerly labeled a drop out destined to dig ditches, earned a 3.5 in his courses this quarter. Two As, one B and a C, but the C counts as a B because it is in an honors course. I drove a little too fast to get home and waved the paper outside the car window at my husband as I dashed into the driveway. He was equally stunned. We told youngest son we would take him to dinner wherever he wanted to go. His reaction, “Don’t expect me to do that every time.” I’m glad God doesn’t have the same response when He blesses us. He doesn’t say, “There you go; it is your one time shot at something nice.” Instead, over and over, He continues to bless us or as John says, lavishes His love upon us. Youngest son doesn’t want me to get my hopes up. I don’t have the same problem with God. I can always count on Him to knock my socks off. Even more than I felt when I held that report card in my hands.
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