Eavesdropping

My oldest son has a girlfriend. She's an interesting person from many different angles. One, she's a senior (and he's a junior). She's African-American (and we're not). She's albino--and loves to color her hair flaming (and I do mean flaming) red. She's spunky, gregarious, outspoken--all things my oldest son is not. She chased him, not the other way around.

She's also a Jehovah's Witness.

My parents and some of my other family members don't like that very much. They keep warning me not to let things go too far. Her own parents are strict with her, and believe dating is meant for marriage. They're concerned about the future possibilities, and conflicts in faith should the two marry. My husband and I have a different take on dating: it's a time to meet and get to know someone and see if they are compatible as a marriage partner. But it doesn't necessarily lead to marriage in every case. We also know that, if their marriage is going to happen, nothing we can do will stop it. (Never mind the fact that, at their ages, it's far, far, far too early to be talking about them marrying anyway!)

Her folks are personable, and I like them. We've had dinner together, and they want us to do other things with them, too. I like her and speak with her on the phone while trying to pry him out of a book or drag him in from gardening.

Today, she asked if my son could go with her to "the Memorial". It's on the evening of Palm Sunday, and - as she put it - it's a memorial or celebration of Jesus Christ's death. I deferred to my husband on this one; his thought is that our son is old enough to decide matters of faith for himself. So, he's going.

Now, the two of them talk on the phone every night, sometimes longer and later than I like. But tonight, I've been eavesdropping as my son tries to explain to his girlfriend the meaning of things like the resurrection, and communion, and a lot of our own beliefs and practices. He has his KJV out, and is reading passages of scripture to her, sharing with her what we believe and why we believe it.

We haven't been to church in several years, and our absence has been during a very impressionable time for all my kids. All of them have professed Christ. All of them have been baptized. They've gone to Sunday school, children's church, AWANA, and Christian school. And now, my son is... defending isn't quite the right word... but explaining in a non-threatening way (I hope) the beauties of the Gospel.

I don't know where any of this will go; not his relationship, not his faith, not his future. I can only pray that God will lead him, and keep him pointed towards Christ.