Run, Joshua, Run!

Joshua had a bad day yesterday. When Erik dropped him off at preschool, he said that Joshua looked back at him with big tears in his eyes before he rounded the corner to go into his classroom. It broke Erik's heart. Mondays are always hard, but this one was especially hard for some reason.

Erik came home for lunch yesterday. Erik never comes home for lunch. He has had the same job for 6 and a half years, and I can count on one hand how many times he has come home for lunch. He surprised me, but he didn't come home to see me. He walked in the back door, through the kitchen, and straight to Joshua in the family room. Erik sat on the ottoman, and Joshua stood between his legs. They talked. I'm not sure exactly what Erik said to him, but the moment was sweet - both of them completely focused on the other one.

Later yesterday evening after the boys were in bed, Erik told me that he had spoken with Joshua's teacher that morning. Mrs. Jenny is her name, and she is so sweet to my little man. She told Erik that during "gym" (recess) Joshua just sits beside her. He doesn't play. He just sits beside his teacher. And, the mental image of my sweet little boy sitting quietly beside his teacher instead of playing with the other children made my heart sad, very sad. I thought about it off and on throughout the night and this morning, too.

When I picked Joshua up today, Mrs. Jenny walked him to the car. Our conversation went something like this. . .

Me: Did he have a good day today?

Mrs. Jenny: Yes, he did have a lot better day today!

Me, as I breathe a sigh of relief: Oh, good.

Mrs. Jenny: Yeah, during "gym" my husband brought my little boy to see me. He sat on my lap. Then, my husband came to get him and take him home. And after they left, Joshua (who was, of course, sitting beside her) looked up at me and asked if he could sit on my lap. I said, 'Baby, don't you want to go play?' And, he said, 'No.' So, I said, 'Joshua, I want to see how fast you can run! Will you do me a favor and run as fast as you can across the gym?'"

(Now let me interrupt Mrs. Jenny and say that the Holy Spirit Himself spoke those words through her. Because Mrs. Jenny has no idea how much my Joshua loves to run. He has an imaginary track that goes across our entire front yard and around a big oak tree. He runs it over and over until his face is bright red and beaming! Sometimes he asks me to say "On your mark. Get set. Go." Sometimes he talks JCT into running with him - though JCT never stays at it very long. And, sometimes he runs and sings "Racing day, it's racing day. . . Racing day, it's racing dayyyy!" from the Backyardigans. The child loves to run! Loves. To. Run. In fact, this past Sunday night the entire children's ministry (kids from pre-k to 6th grade) walked laps around the church gym to raise money for Lottie Moon. Joshua is 4, and he came in 3rd place in money raised. His sweet cheeks were beautifully rosy throughout the evening worship service. And, his mama was so proud! Okay. . . back to Mrs. Jenny. . .)

"So, he ran across the gym like I asked, but then he just kept going. He kept running, and then eventually some of the other kids joined him and started running, too. And, that made it a good day!"

I thanked her profusely, and drove off smiling and singing "God is so good" to myself. And, then my mind turned to thoughts of Eric Liddell of Chariots of Fire. I adore that movie. My favorite part is when his sister gives him a hard time about not serving God in ministry, and he says something like this, "I can't explain it, sis, but I know that running is what God wants me to do. He made me fast." Then, he says my favorite part, "When I run I can feel God's pleasure." Love that. I watched that scene a thousand times over in my mind as I trained for my marathon. Joshua isn't the only one in this family who loves to run!

So, as I drove to Erik's office, I compared my sweet child to Eric Liddell, a fine godly man who could run like the wind. When we got to Erik's office I told Erik the story Mrs. Jenny told me. But, a different runner came to Erik's mind when I told him the story.

He called Joshua the Forest Gump of Pre-K.

Somehow, I liked my thought a little better.

But, either way, I am simply thankful for a good day.