As I type it's now your 13th birthday and I am the proud mom of now 2 teenagers in our home. I am fully aware of the challenges that brings but please know it also brings me great pleasure. I love watching you and your brothers and sister grow. I love watching your personalities evolve and your independence blossom. I wanted to just take a little time to just share with you my thoughts as I have reflected on you and your life and what it means to me.
First of all I want you to know how uniquely special you are. Even though you aren't the "only boy" and you have to share the "middle spot" with your sister and you are 1 of 3 in our family with blue eyes and 1 of 3 that are right handed there are a million things that make you uniquely you and those things make our family unique too.
What's unique? Your bright smile, your beautiful eyes, your quick wit, your crazy memory for sports stats, your love of legos and building, your passion for what interests you, all these things and more make you special.
What I need to tell you though is a little secret. It may or may not come as a shock to you, I don't know, but I feel like I need to tell you. You are unique but here's the kicker....you are so much like me.
We love to make others laugh and we love to laugh too. We love to see ironies and things that don't make sense. We love information. Google is our best friend. We love the news and we both get text alerts for breaking news. We love the positive affirmation that we get when we do things well, it is almost what compels us to succeed. We like to be "impressive." We both find much comfort in God's word when we are afraid or need peace We notice numbers and dates. We remember birthdays and special events on the calendar. We like looking backward over a year and we love looking forward to what's next. What's next is very important to us and can make others around us CRAZY. All these things are good things and I love that we are alike in those ways. . But (there's always a but) we are alike in other ways and this is what's really important to acknowledge.
I am often reminded of something I was told once when you and I have our challenges-"What makes you the most crazy in other people are the things you don't like about your self." When you and I have conflict it is often out of my fear that you will be just like me in my not so good ways and I react. We share a tendency to worry, a short fuse at times with those closest to us, a need to be right and have the last word at all costs, we rarely say we are sorry. I don't tell you these things to point out faults or bring ourselves down. I believe God has made us the others "Sand paper person". Its how sometimes a person rubs you the wrong way, but really God is using them to rub out the "imperfections and flaws" in us. I hope we will be able remember that to give each other a lot of grace and patience.
Isaac, I know your heart and it's beautiful. How do I know? Because from the moment I knew I was going to be your mom you got a piece of mine. My heart walks around every day with you and when you are sad, I am sad, when you hurt, I hurt, when you worry, I worry, when you laugh I LAUGH with you. As you continue to grow into a young man I also pray that you will learn to share that heart more. It feels scary and it feels vulnerable, but trust and share it. You will be glad you did.
It wouldn't be right to not give a little advice about girls. It's easy for me to see that you are a handsome young man and you will never have any trouble finding a date. Most importantly, when you are around girls be a gentle man (2 words on purpose). Be gentle. Be kind. Be respectful. Be pure. Be strong. If you are all those things you will never have to look back and have regrets.
"I prayed for this son and the Lord granted me what I asked" (1 Samuel 1:27) I prayed for you and God continues to give me what I asked. Isaac, I love you more than this letter can say. I am so proud to be your mom. I am excited for the coming teenage years and all that God has in store for your life.
Love you <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
your mom
Jesus, thank you so much for Isaac today. Help him to see today and everyday how much he is loved by You and in this family. Bless him with an amazing 13th year. Give him wisdom, give him a heart to seek you first, give him protection and guidance. Thank you so much for this son who keeps me humble and brings me so much joy. Amen