Dawn of a Decade

Soooooo my oldest son turned 10 last week, and I felt some type of way. I'm basically a less than mushy mom most of the time, so I've honestly only felt this overwhelming emotion a few times. When he was born, when I went back to work, and when he started Kindergarten. However, something about this birthday put me in a space. I looked at my once chubby baby boy who is slowly morphing into this muscular young man. Where there used to be baby teeth, there are mostly adult ones. The one who used to require me to read him at least 5 bedtime stories every night is now reading to his little brother before bed. He'd rather be on his video game than engrossed in a book. He has opinions and desires and interests, many of which remind me that we are both getting older! He's on that cusp of "my mom is still pretty cool" to "my mom is super annoying." Where 10 years have gone by, only 8 more remain before he will enter the world on his own. Dude...I'm like, "What is HAPPENING!?!"

So what's the big deal with the number 10? In competition, 10 is normally the highest score one can receive. Most of us have 10 fingers and 10 toes. A basketball goal is 10 feet above the court.  A dime is worth 10 cent. Numerically, 10 symbolizes the completion of a cycle. Spiritually, 10 is a number of perfection, God's completion, and the opportunity for new beginnings.

However, in this world, I'll be honest, 10 made me even more worried for his safety. Tamir was 10 plus 1, Emmett was 10 plus 4, Trayvon was 10 plus 7. None of these young me lived to see their 10 doubled, tripled, or beyond. My son is brilliant and beautiful and worthy of regard as a human being. But we live in a world where that's not always the outcome. He's getting older and I have to let him grow and explore and learn and discover, but there are the looming concerns about his LIFE as he does so.

Raising black boys is not an easy task by any means. There is so much to make sure they know, so much to try to keep them from, while making sure they are properly equipped at the same time. Yet, this I know. God has purposed both of my sons. I can't say with certainty what those purposes are, but this I know: All things work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to His purposes.

As my son officially becomes a tween, teetering on teenage years and headed full throttle into young adulthood, I know that he will encounter some uncomfortable situations. I know that his father and I will have to engage him in difficult conversations. I know that things will not always work out the way we would like. But I also know that whatever befalls him will not be in vain. God has a plan for him. One that will not be thwarted by any one. God said, "Touch not My anointed." He assures us that "No weapon formed against us will prosper." So, I know that this decade is merely the beginning of all that God has in store for my boys. It is my prayer that his light shine bright enough for the world to see, this his future be purposeful and prosperous, and that for this decade and those to come that he Be Blessed. XOXO