"I want to go but I don't want to go!"
This is what Brayden said to me as he was about to leave for a 3-4 day get away all by himself at my mom and dad's (most amazing parents/grandparents in the world!) He was so sad to be leaving us, yet so excited to go. That is exactly how I felt too! All of us did! Today was his 4th birthday! We celebrated last night with a big party and alot of fun shared with friends and family. I put together 100+ pix real quick into a slideshow right before the party, all of him and I was brought to tears! I had just prayed earlier that day "Lord don't let me miss out on the joy of my own son's party, by being too busy to enjoy it!" Putting together that show allowed me to do just that, it brought me to tears seeing how quickly he is growing up. I know I only have one chance to love him in his younger years and soon he'll have endless options on how he spends his time, but Lara and I are still his favorite choice! Oh Jesus, by your grace empower me to live effectively as a provider but efficiently enough to not spend any more time doing things that can be done with excellence without missing out on being an excellent dad!
I love my boys, and karsyn and my wife so much! It's amazing how the most important things often receive the neglect that comes from busyness! I am determined to run my business with excellence but also with efficiency and to make the most of every moment I have been given so that I fulfill every role I have been entrusted with to it's fullest, without compromising or neglecting that which matters most! Not just my family but even time alone, prostrate before God! Seeking His will, His direction and His wisdom for how to run a business, raise a family and lead Thirst Relief Int~! God, you have entrusted me with sooooo much. Thank you and help me to be faithful. At the end of my life I want to look back and think "I am sooo glad I didn't compromise who I was or time with those that I love or waste emmotions and energy on things that just didn't matter!" I guess I want to have others look at how I lived my life and say "He desperately relied upon and loved God and it shined brightest in the way he loved everyone he encountered but especially in the way he loved his family!"
Happy Birthday Brayden, I love you sooooooo much, more than you love me (we argue over who loves eachother the most all the time, I tell him I have special daddy love and it's from God's love so it trumps, but he insists that "kid love" is the most powerful, then we end the debate by agreeing that all love comes from God so our love must be the same!)
For real, happy birthday Brayden, your daddy loves you so much.
(he just called after being gone for 30 minutes and he didn't want to get off the phone with mommy! So cute.)
