"For I know the plans I have for you....." That's all I need to know of that Scripture in Jeremiah after March 2. I believe that God has a plan for all of us, that we are all selected to live his plan if we follow him. As I prepare to fly to Asia, there are some things that I need to get off my chest for my family to know...to know for sure. Yes, you have a better chance of dying in a car wreck than in a plane crash, but you just never know when your time has come and that God's plan is for you to move on.
I love my family so much. It isn't always seen, I know (sometimes even by them) because of the frustrations of life, but I wouldn't change anything in my life right now....ok, maybe a little more money, and a couple of kids to be a little more obedient, but that's it. What do I want from my immediate family if I weren't to be around any longer?
To my son, Brandon, I want him to grow up and be happy. I want him to continue doing everything all out and fearless. I want him to temper a little of his attitude, but only a little because it is that attitude that will bring him success in life in dealing with all of life's ups and downs. I want him to continue on his path to Jesus Christ and to one day marry a woman who loves God as much as he will. I want him to be a happy husband and father who doesn't just take his kids to play, but plays with them also. I want him to be the spiritual leader of his family who will keep our family's legacy continuing. I want him to love God with all his heart, soul and mind and to love others as he does himself.
To my daughter, Madison, I would want her to grow up happy. I want her to continue doing those things that make her happy. I want her to continue on her path in finding God and living for others. I want her to grow up to find a good man who will take care of her and love her, and loves God. But I want her also to not have to be dependent on a man, but be able to take care of herself. I want her to grow up and become a wonderful wife and mother to children that will continue our family's legacy. I would want her to love God and love others and be as caring and giving as her mother is every day.
I want both of my children to never guess if their father loved them because I do. I want them to not look at any times we might not have had and be sad, but be so grateful for the times that we did have together playing in the back yard, camping in the basement or some other crazy thing their dad came up with. If I were not to be around, I would want them to know that I am so proud of them and could not have been blessed with two better children than them.
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| (that's me hugging the most wonderful woman in the world) |
For my wife, I would want her to continue living her life. I would want her, obviously, to never forget about me, but she should still continue living for Christ and being a great mother. If some time down the road she were...to...well, I would want her to be happy and continue living. I couldn't ask for a better wife. Kristi has been so supportive of me in all that I do and I hope she knows how much I love her and that I would give my own life for her. She is the reason that I came to know Jesus Christ which is the greatest gift she has ever given me, as well as those two children.
This isn't a farewell note, this is something that I wanted written down not because I am flying in airplanes to Asia soon, but because the day you get up might be your last day. And it will probably start like any other day as did March 2nd. And there are so many words that would go unspoken....well, now, here they are and words don't even express my love for my family.
