He knows what you're thinking!

"You perceive my thoughts"

Psalm 139:2

I had a sweet conversation with my Amazing Boy today.  However, first I have to give you a bit of background, and then you're gonna ask me why I did what I did.  But I can't answer that.  Cuz I don't know.   And it's gonna embarrass me a little bit, but I've come to accept this quirky part of my background, so I'll just lay it out for ya.

When I was growing up, I loved apples.  Ate so many that my mom would scold me ~ not for eating healthy, but for not leaving any for anyone else.  It probably tickles her to know that I have to scold Amazing Boy for the same thing now...

Anyhow, we had a basement, and there was a TV down there, and a lot of our toys and stuff, so we'd hang out and play down there.  And if I happened to be eating an apple, then when I finished it, I would walk into the laundry room section of the basement, which was separate from the TV-and-toy section, to throw the apple core away.

Okay, now here's where it gets quirky.  I would walk past the trashcan, and throw the apple core behind the water heater.  Then at some point my mom would happen to look back there, maybe sweeping, maybe checking on me, whatever, and she'd see one or more dried-up apple cores back there.  You feel for her right now, don't you?

Now, I have no idea why I did this, or why I did it more than once.  My sister would tell you it's because I'm a middle child, and I was looking for attention.   My mom would tell you it was my aim to goad her all through my childhood.  It's also possible I just didn't want to get in trouble for eating too many apples, so I was trying to hide the evidence, and doing a poor job of it....

Okay, so there's the backstory.  My kids know this story well, and I think they get a kick out of it.  Kids loving knowing about our youthful naughtiness, don't they?

Well, my Amazing Boy and I were working in the garden today, pulling weeds out of a planter.  In the corner of that planter was an nectarine pit.  A few weeks ago, he had finished his nectarine, and asked if it would grow if he tossed it in the garden.  I said, "Dunno.  Give it a shot."  In the summer heat, it's probably not gonna turn into anything, but we can keep an eye on it, and see what happens, and call it a science experiment.

Anyhow, we're weeding happily (not really on that part) and out of the blue he says to me, "Mom, when you were a kid, and you used to throw the apple cores behind the water heater, did they get moldy?" I replied, "No, they really just dried out."  And he said, "Oh, okay."  Then he added, "Sorry if that was kind of random."  And I said, "It wasn't random.  You saw that nectarine pit over there, and that made you think of it."

Well he was stunned.  He looked at me with eyes wide open and said, "How did you know that??"  And I smiled and said, "I'm your momma.  I know how you think.  That's what comes from spending nearly every hour of every day with you since you were born!"  (And really, before he was born, too!)

I do know how he thinks, a lot of the time.  And I love knowing my kids that well.  It's one of my favorite benefits of homeschooling them, that I'm with them so much of the time, and I've been a part of so many aspects of their lives.  I have watched them grow, and I know the experiences that have influenced them.  They share with me their feelings; and know I will not use their vulnerabilities against them, or embarrass them with what they've shared.  The parent/child relationship is such a beautiful example of the relationship we can have with God.  If we are open in prayer with Him, and willing to be taught and grown by Him, it will be a source of contentment and peace.  As we learn to fully trust Him, we will find Him fully worthy of our trust.  And we will be placing our trust in the only One who knows us better than we know ourselves.

~ "You have searched me, Lord, and You know me...

You perceive my thoughts from afar... You are familiar with all my ways.

Before a word is on my tongue, You know it completely.

You created my inmost being... knit me together in my mother's womb...

Your eyes saw my unformed body;

all the days ordained for me were written in Your book

before one of them came to be" ~

Psalm 139