Parental Math

I promise not to wallow or draw out this subject any more after today, but for the last couple of weeks I’ve been searching for this excerpt from a book I read long ago and today found it- on Suzanne’s blog!  It was written by Bob Benson. It’s called Parental Math.

Wednesday night -

Mike slept downstairs in his room

where children belong

and we slept upstairs in ours

where moms and dads belong.

Thursday night -

We were 350 miles away and he was

in Ramada 325 and we were in 323

in connecting rooms. We left the door open

and talked and laughed together.

Friday night -

He was in the freshman dorm

and we were still in 323.

Sunday night --

We were home and he was

323 miles away in Chapman 309.

Now we had been through this before

and we thought we knew how to handle separation pretty well.

Somebody said you still have three at home.

three fine kids and there is still plenty of laughter

plenty of noise

plenty of sports games to go to

plenty of everything

except Mike.

In parental math

five minus one just doesn't equal plenty.

And I was thinking about god.

He sure has plenty of children

plenty of artists

plenty of singers

plenty of preachers and candlestick makers

plenty of everybody

except you.

And all of them together can never take your place.

There will always be an empty place in his heart

and a vacant chair at his table

when you're not home.

So if once in a while it seems God’s  crowding you a bit

try to forgive him.

It may be one of those nights

when he misses you so much

he can hardly stand it.