A Letter to Victor

Dear Victor,

My, what a big man you are getting to be.

You are officially 5 1/2.
A voracious reader.
Tenacious and detail-oriented.
Observant.
Curious.
Persistent.
Extroverted.
A joker, pun lover, and quite witty.

Josiah to Mom: You're skinny.
Victor to Josiah: You're all covered with skin too.

Your ability to labor and help has expanded hugely. You can put away silverware from the dishwasher when it's clean, sort the laundry, sweep the deck, clean the bathtub, wash mirrors, dust the stair railing, put your own laundry away, fold the towels, pick up sticks, and help wheel the garbage to the curb.

Things You Say:

Eating veggie straws: "I love these fruity noodles."

At the breakfast table: "Mom, do you know what a favorite number of mine is? 100,000 million. I think if you tried to count that you would say ugh."


You are very bright. But sometimes that brings a temptation to disregard Mom or Dad's instructions because you think you know better. Recently we had 2 incidents in a day, and as a part of your consequence, I asked you to color a picture or write me a note about the situation.

You shared these pictures with me, and I shared them with Dad.

In the first situation, Mom asked you not to step on the bench behind me, because our cups of coffee were there. So you drew this picture. At the top, you wrote "God," and you drew a picture of Jesus, dying on the cross to cover over our sins.

In the second situation, Mom asked you not to get the ice cubes from the refrigerator, and you drew this picture. Again, at the top you wrote, "God," and you drew a picture of Jesus on the cross.

Victor, you know that disobeying Mom or Dad is not just disobeying us. It is disobeying God, and that is a big problem. And that sin, just like the sin in Mom's and Dad's hearts, it can't be swept away or ignored. God will give what is earned, and we have learned in one of our verses, "The wages of sin is death."

But what a beautiful truth you have pictured for us here, to remember that the cost, the huge punishment that our sins deserve, has been paid for on our behalf by God's perfect Son, Jesus.

I pray that these pictures of good news, the gift of forgiveness and redemption that we receive through faith in Jesus, will be the true treasure of your heart.

May you say along with Paul:

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am foremost.—1 Timothy 1:15

I love you, my Victor, and I pray for God's grace to transform your heart little by little into the reflection of Jesus.

Momma