"don't hurt my Jesus"

I have shared many stories about my favorite boy, Reese, with you but this one is probably one of my favorites. This particular story happened during the Christmas break but it has really stuck with me and seems to come to mind at least once a day. I spent sometime yesterday thinking about it and what I needed to learn from it...so here it is.

One morning Reese and I were playing around, wrestling and what not and I for some reason found myself with my elbow on his heart. The sweet innocent laughter came to a halt and Reese said, "Mommy stop you are hurting my Jesus!" He had a very serious look on his face and was being quite stern with me. I questioned, "your Jesus?" Reese answered (with a tone of "duh" mom) "Yes Mom, Jesus lives in my heart and that will hurt Him." I then scooped my little man up and gave him a big giant squeeze hug (these are our favorite - in fact Reese has been known to squeeze me so hard that he might toot - and you can never give just one) and many kisses. Of course, I quickly apologized for hurting his Jesus.

He again said this same thing one night at my Mom's house, aka Gammy. Katie's dear friend Amber was over visiting and Reese and Nathan had gone into WILD mode, they were putting on a show for, as Nathan called her, Timber. They were dancing, running, acting like animals, and wrestling. One of their favorite things is for Nathan to wrap Reese up in a big bear hug and tackle him to the ground. Nathan was doing this and landed on Reese's heart. "Nathan, stop it you are hurting my Jesus!" Everyone giggled at Reese's cute remark once I explained what he was meaning. Reese however did not find this funny!



A little picture of what these wrestling matches look like! This is from May 2010

Now Reese took it very literal that Jesus lived in his heart. He wants to protect Him, keep things from hurting Him. He has even got really upset at school because he told a classmate that Jesus lived in his heart and he said He didn't live in his heart. I've tried to explain that physically Jesus is not in his heart, but this a concept he hasn't exactly grasp yet. He knows he prays to Jesus and Jesus has helped him several times, and he knows he has a brother/sister who is with Jesus, but it is hard for him to understand how Jesus lives in his heart and does all these other things.
What if I had Reese's attitude, "don't do that, it will hurt my Jesus!" I am not meaning this in the literal way but figuratively. Why can't I go through the day trying to "protect" and not harm my Jesus? How many things do I say, do, or most often THINK that are hurting my Jesus? I love to see the faith of my child, it is so innocent and so pure. Reese makes loving Jesus and not hurting Him so simple. Why do I make it so hard? I'm going to try to be conscience of what I am doing and work hard not to, "hurt my Jesus!" Thank you Reese for teaching me how to better love my Jesus.

Reese, I love you more than you will ever know! I am so blessed and thankful that your Jesus shared you with me and I get the privilege of raising you. I pray that when the day comes you pick Jesus and I have done everything I could to help you get there. You are such an amazing boy with such a big heart. God has big plans for you Reese Austin Hightower!

Reese and I on Mother's Day 2010