Boys Are Different!

I left home on Sunday for a Children's Pastor Conference in Florida leaving my family behind. This is very hard on me! I miss them so much, yet I know this is the right thing for me. It's hard because I feel like I already spend so much time away from them even when I'm in the same city because of church related things.

Monday was the beginning of the conference and I went to an early session called "Nurturing Boys". It was WONDERFUL! The speaker was David Thomas and he's written a few books and has another one coming out that I will definitely buy. He went through the first 4 of 5 stages of the biology of boys. Interestingly, as he was going through Stage 1 (ages 2-4) I leaned over to Lynelle and asked "how is this different from where grown men are now?" No names were mentioned so as to protect the guilty. ;-)

Bottom line...boys are differnt than girls...duh...but it's a wonderful, God-ordained difference. The last section of the notes say "The Mystery of Boys: What They Want". Ladies, ready? Want to know what the boys in your life want? The want to be understood, enjoyed, mentored and (my favorite) celebrated. He said "boys are hungry for voices around them to see their character and call it out". So, as you read this, look around you and see what boys in your life are in "want".

Remember the poem "What Are Little Boys"?

"What are little boys made of?"
Snips and snails, and puppy dogs tails.
That's what little boys are made of !

"What are little girls made of?"
Sugar and spice and all things nice.
That's what little girls are made of!

One of the key things that stuck out was the comparison between boys and girls. My encouragement to you is...don't do that! It's not fair. I think the poem is quite sweet as it relates to boys. Think of it...boys are more apt to light up a snail with a fire cracker and pull on a puppy dog tail than to get anywhere near sugar, spice or anything nice...unless it's already baked and ready to eat with a glass of milk! They are curious by God's design. Be thankful for that!