MY BOY
Today's reading:  Psalm 125-127

"Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him."  Psalm 127:3 NLT

There is a young man in our home who I think the world of.  He's smart.  He's tall.  He's funny.  He's handsome.  He's social, actually speaks to adults when spoken to--and can strike up a conversation with them, too.  He's helpful.  He's a fine Christian fellow.

Does that mean there aren't days when our horns lock or our attitudes brush against each other's like fingernails on a chalkboard?  No.

Funny thing about this 'gift' of mine...I wouldn't trade him for the world, but wonder, on the rougher days, what bid a roving band of gypsies might make me for him!

I am quite sure that no matter the age of your 'gift' (but especially sure if they are also around 14), you have to remind yourself that you have too much invested in them to return them to the hospital for a refund on your money!

My 'gift', according to Strong's Concordance, is of the same word origin as God's gift of the Promised Land to the Hebrew children.  It is something no one else could give.  Something marked as being possessed by no one else.  Something set aside to be given to a specific person for a specific reason.  A special portion, in this instance, property, specifically and specially given by the Lord to His people.

He's mine, by issue of God.  He's mine, similar character traits bear witness to that.  He's mine, our grocery bill attests.  He's mine, he looks too much like me and acts too much like his father to deny it.  He's mine, his room is in far too much disarray for him to be at home anywhere else.

My gift.  My boy.  My special portion from the Lord.