The Blessing of Destructo-Boy

Last updated on: August 22, 2014 at 3:47 pm by Rebecca Frech

The Blessing of Destructo-Boy 2014-08-22T15:47:28-05:00 Rebecca Frech

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

My son broke my iPad this weekend. In his hurry to get out of the car after an 8 hour trip, he dropped it face down on the driveway. He burst into tears and sobbed an apology. He was absolutely certain I’d be angry. I wrapped him in my arms, kissed his head and told him most of the truth, “It’s just a toy, an expensive toy, but a toy. You are infinitely more precious to me than it could ever be.”

I didn’t tell him the rest. I didn’t tell him that there was a part of me which was secretly amused. I had been expecting him to break it from the moment I had handed it back to him a few hours earlier. Minutes before that I had thought “I need to take an iPad fast when I get home. This thing is addicting.” It was then that I knew it was a matter of time before it would be cracked.

He breaks things, this son of mine, never on purpose or in anger, but that he breaks things has become an inevitable truth. To be specific, he destroys things which belong to me. The more I value something, the greater the likelihood that it will not last very long around him.

When he was three, he ate my wedding ring. Chewed it up into a ball of gold. Later that year, he snuggled under the afghan my grandmother made for my high school graduation gift. Scooby Doo was scary and he ate three holes in it that were too large to repair.

He dropped an heirloom bowl on the ground when he tried to pick it up and look at it. His hands were tiny and it slipped. He sat on the brand new couch to make a Mother’s Day card for me and accidentally cut a hole in the seat cushion. I had my wedding bouquet dried and framed and hanging on the wall. He hit it with the broom when he was sweeping. Those flowers turned to dust the second it hit the ground. The list goes on and on. The iPad is simply the latest in a string of accidental disasters.

There was a time when I would get angry or cry. (Finding the gold lump that was once my wedding ring left me in tears for days, I won’t lie.) I stopped crying a long time ago. I’ve come to see the beauty in his destructive ability. He is a gift to me from God. This child, this breaker of things, is the charming way God has chosen to break me of an attachment to material possessions. He is most certainly God’s gentle way of turning my focus away from things and back to the place where it belongs – Him and my family.

Nowadays when I hear that too familiar sound of something crashing to the floor, I stop for a brief moment and say a prayer of thanksgiving. This amazing kid I fondly call Destructo-Boy is one of the greatest gifts I have been given. He is my sanctification walking around. He is love and deep thoughts, joy and creativity that I am blessed to have living under my roof. And he is God’s reminder to me that stuff is just stuff, and not worth a thing when compared to the blessing that this son of mine is to me.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

July 11, 2013

In Praise of the Work-from-Home Dad

Next Post

July 15, 2013 Homeschool Monday - Where I Teach

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who was Noah's father?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Lamech Seth Enoch Abel