finding a testimony in the bearing of it

friday after school chas came home with aidan in tow, per the usual. aidan and chas have been best friends since aidan moved to Alameda in the fourth grade. aidan is a good kid, a funny kid. he lives with his mom, jodi, and her boyfriend of many years, phil.

so when the boys come home they always grab a bite to eat and then eventually make their way upstairs to me (usually i'm on my bed studying, doing chores, or taking a nap) where we have lively conversations about all sorts of things.

friday's conversation was about alcohol. aidan said that phil had told him that certainly every adult has gotten drunk at least once in their life. not true, i told him. i have never been drunk. neither has devan. but it's a right of passage, aidan insisted. he was so surprised when i insisted that neither devan nor i had ever had alcohol. i assured him that is does not have to be a right of passage; that he need never take a drink if he doesn't want to; that there are ways to have fun without getting drunk and it's better because then you actually remember the fun times.

at this point a quiet piece of awesomeness occurred. aidan says he is sure that he and chas will get drunk at some point. immediately chas responds, "i won't. that'll never happen to me." aidan, still not believing either of us really says to chas, "how do you know you won't?" and chas says, "i just know i'm never going to drink. never."

that was it. did you catch the awesomeness? chas pre-decided out loud right then and there that he wouldn't drink alcohol. he essentially stood for something. when aidan insisted that a person can't know what they'll do in the future, i taught him about pre-decisions. at first, he didn't get it, but then he said, "actually, that's like how i know i'm never going to smoke. like ever." yes! he told us his reasons for this pre-decision: an addiction he's seen his father face.

i sometimes wonder how long chas and aidan will be able to be best friends. aidan is growing up in a very different family with very different values. every chance i get i try to encourage aidan to think about his choices and his values. i hope that chas can remain a constant friend AND example to aidan. i don't envy him how challenging it will be to remain faithful to God over the next five years, but i know he has the internal strength to do it.

i was so proud of chas' willingness to "stand as a witness" today. it was small, but hugely important. because by small and simple things, great things come to pass.

i saw God today shining through Chas' calm, but sure determination to keep himself clean. May God magnify his efforts and make him a mighty instrument in His hands.