My Partner’s in the living room, sitting on the sofa, playing a Star Wars video game on my old iPad. The Food Channel’s on TV, but I’m not sure he’s watching the back-to-back-to-back episodes of “Chopped” splashing on the screen.
Sterling is 8-years-old and in second grade. Handsome fellow, he. (Curley hair, freckles, big smile.) Smart, too. Knows all about dinosaurs. Fish, as well. One of his favorite TV shows is “River Monsters” featuring Jeremy Wade — author, explorer, journalist, presenter. The curious little fellow introduced me to Jeremy. We’ve watched a ga-zillion episodes together. All kinds of fish: piranha, arapaima, alligator gar, bull shark, eel, sawfish, carp, stingray, perch — and more.
Last night Sterling and his older sister Kenedie (I’ve written about her before) stayed at my house. Early this morning my wife Jo-Lynn took our daughter Christi to the airport. (She’s flying home to Alabama after going to a wedding in St. Petersburg.) Kenedie tagged along for the ride.
That left the boys — Sterling and I — running the house, which explains why I had fried chicken for breakfast, and he had Italian ice. (Watermelon flavor.)
It was Sterling who came up with the idea of callin’ me “Partner.” I really liked that. So I called him “Partner” back. (Never got that close with my own Grandpas. Patriarchal Society — and all that. Can’t imagine calling either one of them “Partner.” Can’t imagine either one of them let me use such a nickname. Nope.)
My Partner has a heart condition. Doctors wanted to operate on him while he was still in the womb (Scary thought, that.) Waited until after he was born, instead. Poor little guy. I remember that slit down his chest. And how they had to (basically) strap him down for weeks and weeks so he could heal — and heal he did. (The scar is negligible now.) But, chances are, he’ll need another operation, maybe even a heart transplant.
In the meantime, we make memories, this handsome little guy and I. Not complicated ones. (Why do that, except to show off.) Nope. Simple ones. Like watching a guy on TV catch fish. Or learning about dinosaurs. Or having Italian ice for breakfast. I thank God for precious moments like that. Why? Because I believe that’s exactly what God wants me to do. Like Paul says in 1 Thess. 5:18 (TLB):
“No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”
After all, God’s my Partner, too.
SUNDAY MEDITATIONS ARCHIVE: Click here.
