I remember so well, when I picked you up from your class at church-I think you were about 16 months old or so. The woman who had been with you commented saying, "He has amazing language skills!"
And I, being the inexperienced momma I was (and not wanting to forget about Emma), said, "Oh yes! His sister is speaking very well also!"
But that day....she was telling me something. I had NO clue....
I remember when you were 2 years old, and you were able to sound out words like "cat" and "dog" and "mom". You and Emma were learning right alongside each other, and quite frankly, I just didn't think much of it at the time.
When you were four, I remember you taking The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe with you for "quiet time." There were just a few pictures from the motion picture in that particular edition, so I remember thinking you must just be looking at the pictures. It occurred to me, that the pictures might be a little scary, so I went in to check on you. You declared, "Mom! I'm on chapter 4!" I didn't really think that could be true, so I quizzed you and then had you read a page to me. I mean, I knew you could read-I sat with you everyday and listened to you read...
At five, you finished The Last Battle, and closed out Lewis' Narnia series.
Obviously, I knew by this time that there was something "different" about you. I always knew that God had a special plan for you-as He does for each of your brothers and sisters....
Probably by age 6, I finally told your pediatrician: "I'm sure every parent thinks their child is a genius....but I think mine really is." After some assessment, he told me you are a "Gifted Learner." Which basically meant you were working at 2 grade levels or more above average across the board-rather than just one subject. You are gifted in math, language, science....you have amazing discipline.
So, at 10 years old, you are up at 6am every morning reading your Bible. You started in Genesis and you are almost all the way through the Bible. You are so very diligent with your schoolwork....and you were so close to finishing your math course, that today you determined to finish.
And you did.
So. Today, at 10 years old, you have completed Algebra. Overall, you maintained a 91% in the course. You have worked so hard, and we are SO proud of you.
(And trust me! This is not the most crazy and complicated of your problems in this course!!!)
But after acknowledging this amazing accomplishment....I want to affirm two things.
First, we have a saying in our family. Each one of you is exactly what he or she MUST be in order to fulfill what God has purposed for your part in His grand story. So, if you are this smart....it is because you must be...and so we want to steward that gifting well.
Secondly, I just want to remind you in case you ever forget: I do not love you because you're so smart. It has it's wonderful perks and even some challenges....but it is just how God made you. But I love YOU. Your heart. Your insides. I love you because you are you. There have been many times I have been tempted to think that because you are so smart, that I am depriving you of opportunities to be part of certain classes or groups, or.....yada, yada, yada.
But God has been faithful. He gave me a clear calling with all of you amazing Hester children:
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:33 ESV)
And the deep conviction that ALL the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ.
...that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Colossians 2:2-3 ESV)
God has been so kind to remind me that my job is to preach Christ and Him crucified. It is my joy, my pleasure, and my privilege.
*as a side note-I could obviously do a post like this on each of my amazing children! I chose Caleb today, to honor his accomplishment in completing Algebra.
