A Most Precious Secret

Recently Ethan was tested in school, as schools are wont to do, for his reading level. At no surprise to Bill and me, and most of the rest of the world, Ethan came out at a 4th grade level in both his reading ability and his comprehension. He has been reading since he was 4 and reading on his own at least since he was 5. He is in a Gifted Program at school, in his case, a special class filled with “Ethans” who are (in first grade) all doing second grade work and beyond. Recently he and Bill had a lively discussion about Geometry!

Ethan enjoys reading, especially if the book is going to inform him about something he wants to learn more about (the list is long and varied). He also enjoys reading “silly” books (my term) aimed at kids his age like the books about Captain Underpants and the Weird series. But he also still enjoys having his mother (and sometimes his grandmother) read to him.

Just as I did with our two kids, Becki and he had a great time while she read to him the Narnia series. Lately, when Becki is not too tired, he snuggles next to her in his parents “big” bed while Becki nurses one of the twins and reads. The current series are the Harry Potter books. Becki loved these books by J. K. Rowling when they first came out and now she passes that love on to Ethan.

As happens to many children, Ethan gets absorbed into the story and it spills over into his daily life. While they were reading the Narnia series we often had a lion accompanying us on our walks. He is currently all into wizards and spells and incantations.

While we were at Ethan’s house, on a recent visit, he was pretending to be a wizard, wearing a cape and carrying a magic wand and riding on his magic horse. Suddenly he asked me if I would like to become a wizard. Like any grandma, I immediately said, “Yes!” So I was instructed to step near the “golden stones” and he “zapped” me with his wand and I was suddenly a wizard.

Ethan was quick, however, to inform me that I was just a beginning-wizard and had a LOT to learn about wizardry. For one thing, I had a lot, A LOT, of spells to learn.

Suddenly he handed me his most special magic wand, the one with the peacock feathers attached, then he handed me his magic flute. And, after deliberating for a minute, he handed me one of his most precious possessions, his book-of-spells. In the past this book was his book of secret writings, which he had told me on an earlier visit, was NOT to be read by ANYONE. Some of the writing in the book is in “cat writing” which is his secret, cursive writing that no one else can read. Other writings are in his phonic spelling and so cute…but I cannot share them with any of you.

I was honored, almost to the point of tears, that he entrusted me with this most precious of his diaries. I am to study the spells, memorize them, and bring the book back next week when we visit again. But the point is, that he entrusted me with this book. What a joy! What a delight! What an honor!

I hope in the years to come that Ethan will entrust me to at least read some of his other most special writing. And may we all respect his desire to keep some “secrets” just to himself.

God has also entrusted us with a most precious book, writings of His own heart. Some of that book seems to us to be “secret” for it is difficult for us to see the deepest meanings, other of the writings are delights and joys and go to His heart for us.

Just as I am with Ethan’s trust, may I also be overwhelmed with God’s trust to give me His writings. May I find joy, delight, honor that the God of the Universe, The Beginning and The End has trusted me to know, at least some, of the secrets of His heart.