Matt got a call about 10 a.m. from a friend of ours from church. He had been by our old house earlier in the week (as Matt had requested) to see about moving the chicken house. Wayne owns an excavation company and has the heavy equipment needed to do the job of moving a small building. He also lives just around the corner from our old house. He said he'd be by in the afternoon with some helpers to get the chicken house loaded onto a flatbed trailer. Matt and Colton began taking down the fences that were blocking the route for entry and exit. All the while Paul was a part of the action.
Matt and I have enjoyed watching Paul over the past month. He's spent every Saturday with "the guys" doing man work. He's a good strong worker (for a little guy). Matt has made a point of asking Paul, "Paul, here's a problem, what would you suggest for a solution?" Paul's ideas may not always be viable, but the point is, he is beginning to think about solving problems. As a mother, it's been interesting for me to observe Paul interacting with men. The men have been patient in instructing Paul and giving him jobs he can handle. Paul has held his own, even though I know at times he was so tired he was on the verge of tears. He kept going, though, always wanting to keep up with the men.
Yesterday the chicken house project required a lot of man power. Wayne brought his brother, two sons and another young man to help. The men gave Paul small jobs to do, but they included him and he was tickled. One of Wayne's sons, Steve, is a Marine. He's home now, but he will be deployed to Iraq in September. When the work of loading the chicken house became too dangerous, Steve took Paul aside to wrestle on the lawn.
I watched the sparring from my chair on the front porch. It became obvious within the first few minutes of the wrestling match that this was not going to be a cat and mouse game. I knew Paul was tired from staying up too late for fireworks the night before and that his threshold for frustration was low. It took everything in me to stay in my chair and not break it up. Steve would say, "Show me what you've got Paul." "You've got me in a choke hold, don't let go, Paul." I could see Paul's expression change from playfulness to intensity over the 15 or 20 minutes of the wrestling match. It all ended with Steve letting Paul win the last spar and a promise of a rematch. Paul had received a lesson in manhood.
Matt and I have impressed upon Paul that being a man is not about brutalizing and terrorizing other humans or animals. Being a man of God means being a man of self control. We have also told him that he needs to be a defender and protector of his sisters, treating and talking to them in a respectful manner. Someday, if the Lord grants him a wife and children, he will need to defend and protect them. He may even be called upon to defend and protect this country's freedom when he becomes a man. Only the Lord knows what plans He has for Paul.
As I lay in bed last night, I prayed for Steve's protection when he is in Iraq. I don't envy his parents. I prayed for them, too. I prayed that Paul would become a man of God, a warrior for Jesus Christ. I remembered how God brought David from being a shepherd boy to being the King of His people. God took many years to train David. He taught David the art of war, but more importantly, He taught him how to be a "man after God's own heart." Last night I prayed that my sons would be men after God's own heart.
The past couple of months, the Lord has made such provision for our family--even down to giving Paul many Christian men to be godly examples to him. This afternoon the chicken house will be delivered and unloaded. I know Paul will be in the right in the midst of the men, learning more lessons in manhood.
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