1. "I want you to live forever" - Jesus is everything in life. The world will try to tell you otherwise, but the Truth runs deeper and stands stronger than anything else in life. God's promises are true and He will bless you richly (and I don't mean monetarily). My prayer for you is that you will love Jesus with every fiber of your being and you will give your heart completely to Him and that you will long for everyone else to know Him too. You will never be perfect, but God sent His perfect Son that you might live forever. My heart is to point you back to Him with every breath that I take. By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for ours sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought to love one another. No one has beheld God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. 1 John 4:9-12
2. When I look at you, I see my heart - For so many years I told myself that I would not get married and I would definitely not have kids. God had a completely different plan in mind - a much more beautiful, perfect plan that I could not have dreamed up myself. I never thought I would have so much love to give until I held you in my arms. I must have been storing all this love up in my heart for your daddy and you for the day when God knew I would change my mind. You have taught me that although I have tried so hard to love others along the way and failed, I do not have to put so much effort into loving - for God Himself is the only true source of love - and His provision is perfect.
3. Bathroom Rules - There are many things that I think I disagree with about the bathroom routine of men (though your daddy is better than any guy I've ever known about being clean in the bathroom). But please always wipe the seat after you go potty. No woman ever is going to want to clean up your mess after you just because you don't want to do it yourself. Respect your wife and help her clean the bathroom (this also applies to do the dishes and post-meal kitchen cleaning). You make the mess too, so it's your responsibility to contribute to cleaning it. Always put the toilet lid down after you use it, hang up your damp towel, and replace the toilet paper roll if you use the last of it. Lastly, bathroom humor is not always funny - put some thought to what you're going to say/do before you actually do it.
4. Don't follow the crowd - There are always going to be the "cool" kids and the "next big thing". Going against your morals and what you know is right is never the cool thing to do. Investigate everything you hear before you accept it as truth - this goes for both church and school and everywhere in between. Compare it to what the Bible says is truth. Don't always follow your heart in these matters because it may tempt you and lead you astray. The Word of God never will.
5. Accept others for who they are - You are not perfect. And neither as anyone else. Learn the difference between hating the sin and loving the sinner. Point others to the truth, but always do it in love. Never, ever use the word "gay" when referring to objects or circumstances that you dislike. Respect others not only to their face but don't talk about them when they're not around. Know the difference between prayer requests and gossip. And it's not your place to judge anyone - you never know that storm God is walking them through.
6. Enjoy the sweetness and innocence of your childhood - The little boy in you is such a beautiful thing. Don't let anyone take that from you and don't take life so seriously. Truly I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:3
7. Explore the outdoors - Go outside and play. Get messy, get sweaty and scrape your knees sometimes. You can't live life through a video game.
8. Love letters are legacies - The world is becoming so engrossed and fast-paced with things like email, social networking and texting. These things are quickly replacing some of the sweetest gestures you can offer in regards to love. A love letter, a thank you card, or a phone call from the heart is a welcome treasure amidst a sea of electronic communication.
9. Read - Never give up on learning, or forget what it's like to hold a read book in your hand. Stories are a gift and will teach you so much about the world. Ask me or your dad, we have so many books to recommend to you.
10. Diamonds are not a girl's best friend - Don't ever mistake fortune or fame for an everlasting relationship. A girl that wants to be showered with expensive gifts is probably not a girl you want to spend your life with. There is so much more to love than money. Remember that if you have a true love, a diamond is not going to matter as much as what is in her heart for you.
11. Take a positive approach to your health - Love yourself just as God has created you. It's never a bad thing to care about what you look like, but it should never consume your life. Take measures to take care of your body - from watching your diet to brushing your teeth at least twice a day. You're always going to regret stuffing yourself with fast food. Respect yourself, but learn the difference between taking care of yourself and vanity.
12. Be proud of who you are. Always - Your heart was created after God's very own. You are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139). Don't let what anyone else says define you. Jesus loves you and nothing else matters.
13. Be an apprentice - Make it a point to never stop learning and soaking up life's lessons. Take advantage of learning to cook, to wash dishes, make your bed, do laundry, change your oil, hang a picture, fix appliances that are broken. These are all going to be valuable to you in life. More importantly, learn to pray, learn how to be an effective leader, to share your life story and to talk to people about Jesus. This is a lifelong journey.
14. Find your passion - God has created you for His purpose and His glory. He has set in your heart a plan and will for your life that you can only unlock through Him. Spend time daily in prayer and in practice to learn what He has created you to do specifically. And know that mommy and daddy will always support you one hundred percent.
15. Remember your manners - The world is a much nicer place when you choose to use polite words and smile at people. You represent the Lord, so always say excuse me, please and thank you. Forgive people who hurt you (unforgiveness is only going to hurt you worse) and apologize when you know you're in the wrong. This can go a really long way.
16. Take responsibility for your actions - You will sin and you will lie and hurt people. Life just gets messy sometimes. There is never anything good that comes from dishonesty. Everyone makes mistakes - remember that. But being mature enough to own up to those mistakes and take responsibility for your actions will define you in the eyes of others. This world is craving more people like that. Be one of them.
17. Always tell her she is beautiful - She is going to be your wife someday and you'll live together for the rest of your lives. Respect her and pray for her even before you meet her. Pray with her and learn to lead your family in a Christlike way. Telling her daily how beautiful she is will enhance your relationship significantly. She IS beautiful, and she is a gift to you from the Lord.
18. Look up to your daddy - Your father is one of the most godly men that I know. He loves Jesus and he loves you. He has been exactly where you are walking and he has so many valuable things to teach you. You will struggle with significance, people pleasing, lust, friends, jobs, dating and everything in between. Every day spent with your daddy is a great opportunity to learn his heart, learn how to treat women and most importantly to learn how to become a man who longs to please the Lord above all other things. Respect him. You have been given an invaluable gift that many other children do not get - always treasure that.
19. Don't stop using your imagination - This world may try to feminize you. It may tell you that your place is behind a desk and your significance is found in making a lot of money. The worlds lies to you. Never stop being a little boy with a big imagination. Play. Laugh. Get dirty. It's totally okay to be a big kid.
20. Understand the world, but don't follow it - There are certain things you need to know like budgetting, understanding mortgages and interest, how to buy a car, and how credit cards work. It's okay to be interested politics and to like some of the things the world has to offer. But don't put your stock in the things this side of heaven. You should know how to manage money, but don't let it become your god like most of this world has done. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21
21. Don't stay in one place forever - It's okay to need a change of scenery. Explore the world. Move to someplace where you don't know anyone. It will be a great learning experience for you. But don't forget to call home. And know that you're always welcome there.
22. Learn to understand your emotion and how to express them - The world might tell you that being a man means hiding your emotions under a mask of toughness. But there is beauty is being vulnerable and truly feeling things. It's alright to cry and it's not a sin to be angry. Learn how to handle your emotions and to express them in a healthy way. It will open your heart and allow you to know and love yourself and to let others in.
23. The world is not ending when your heart breaks - You will have times when you feel like your life is completely over. It isn't. Every heart break, whether it's a death of someone you love, a bad grade, a lost opportunity or a break up with your first love, is a chance to learn and to grow and to become closer to Christ. He is teaching you to trust Him. He will carry you through and mom and dad will always be here to hug you.
24. Surround yourself with people who love Jesus - Community is so important. You will take it for granted until you don't have it anymore. People who point you back to Christ will be invaluable and you will grow immensely because of it.
25. You will be my son forever - Moments matter. You will grow up and get married and have a family of your own to take care of. But that doesn't mean I will ever stop loving you or ever not be there for you. Treasure every moment that life gives you because they pass so fast and memories are something you will always hold in your heart. You will not remember these days, the first months of your life. You will not remember us rolling around playing on the floor, or staring into each other's eyes during feedings. You won't remember the moments that I rocked/wrestled you to sleep and then just sat there and watched you dream. You won't remember the firsts that are coming in these months - rolling, smiling, laughing, crawling. But I will. I always will. And I will always hold them so close to my heart that it hurts just a tiny bit, knowing every day that passes meaning having to let go of you a little bit more.
