Son of My Right Hand

 

Son of My Right Hand

by his grateful to have him father David L Lewis

The name I gave him is Benjamin William Lewis. The name Benjamin is in honor of his mother, Benjamin coming from Hebrew word meaning “son of my right hand”. His middle name is in honor of the man I called my step-father, William Maddox, as good and noble a Christian man as any would wish to know. Lewis, of course, comes through my father, the greatest single influence on who I am. In short, I gave him names to live up to.

About the second grade Benjamin went through a period of deciding what he wanted to be called. He really didn’t like “Ben”, and Benjamin was too long for a second-grader. For a few weeks it was “Benster”, which really didn’t take. Next, for a very short time, it was going to be “Babe”. He finally settled on “Benji”, which is how everybody knows him. I remain the only person on earth allowed to call him “Babe”.

Benji is the youngest of our five children (i.e., baby of family). In keeping with family tradition he was not at all like any of the other four. As such his childhood may have had the most ‘uncertainty-factor’. His mother just called him “my little thundercloud’”. Once or twice I’d run into a former teacher who rememberrd him (he’s hard to forget), they usually are both glad for me and surprised about how well he turned out.

We moved to Indiana the year he began high school, 1996. He may not know it, but he owes his life to someone who came into his life at that captious moment. This person was Terry Wilson, then Youth Pastor at Christ Community Church. Terry gave Benji friends, direction. and, most importantly, took him on a ‘mission’ trip to Mexico – where he learned first-hand what real struggles are.

During high school years he became something of a leader of entourage of local skate-boarders. Turns out that in any group of people the natural leader will arise; perhaps learning how to lead in the process. Won’t bother reader with that skating on roof of Page’s thing, or of his calling his brother Nathan to rescue him, or how I came to know about Juvenile Court.

After a few false starts Benji found himself at Ball State University; something for which his father will be eternally grateful to Chris Newgent (the Newg). At Ball State he also found one Lisa Marie Mills, a true daughter of Proverbs 31.10-31. Meeting Lisa being the best thing that ever happened to Benjamin William Lewis. They have two sons whom even Hollywood Central Casting could not find better examples of how to rear kids.

Since graduating from Ball State Benji has been a grade-school Teacher, first in North Carolina and now in Noblesville Indiana. He has been named Teacher of the Year a couple of times; been requested for their child by parents who’d learned about him; did a year in an administrative role; and been PE teacher since moving back to Indiana. In this father’s observation the latter position being a calling for which his whole life prepared him, for now.

It was, however, events of the past December and those following which made me (finally) realize how much a ‘Rock’ of a man, how mature of a person, he has become. As it is with life, Babe grew up while I was ‘making other plans’. When I most needed someone to stand in the gap and be the man, Benjamin was there. He was there when his mother needed someone to help her navigate the enigmatic medical world. He was there when she (okay, I) needed someone to be with her when I was the patient.

Benjamin William Lewis is officially my favorite nearest-to-parental-home son, the son of my right hand who lives up to his names.