As your mother, there are so many things I want to say to you. There are lessons I need to teach you, stories I want to tell you, and blessings I want to pray over you. As of right now, you are asleep in your bed. You are wearing your "dragon jam jams" and cuddling with your Pooh blanket. You are so little. You are so innocent and dependent on me. These are days that I value and days that, I realize, are in short supply. Soon, you will be learning things on your own, you will be too old for kissing mommy, you will be playing sports, and sooner than I want, you will be leaving my home to start your own. So, while I have you here with me, I want to tell you a few things.
Your innocence is mesmerizing.
First, above all else, your relationship with the Lord is the most important thing. I have prayed the Lord's blessings over you since you were in my womb. The Lord has heard my prayers and blessed me with an amazing little boy. As you grow into the man He plans for you to be, press into Him. Rely on Him for all things. Turn to Him in your times of need and also in your times of joy. He will show you the way you need to go, and He will mold your heart into the most perfect form of you. There will be times when people may make fun of you for your faith. I can tell you that as this world is progressing, it is not the "cool thing", but I can also promise you that it is the only real thing in life. So, in your daily life, read His word. Hide it in your heart and always follow His instruction. You will never regret it.
Find good friends. This is such an important lesson. The friends that you choose to surround yourself with will shape the person that you become. As you grow, you will learn that I did not always choose the best friends. I let them lead me astray and because of that, I made some very painful and poor decisions. I don't ever want this for you. Kody, surround yourself with Godly men who will push you and encourage you in your walk. Find friends who will laugh with you in the good times, cry with you in the bad, and forgive you when you need it. Find friends who will give you wise council and pray with you through hard decisions. Jesus chose twelve close friends during His time on Earth because He understood and wanted to show us that the company you keep is essential in your walk. Your grandpa always told me that you can never bring a group of bad friends up, they will only bring you down. He is right, so search for those rare and wonderful men who will only encourage your special light rather than putting it out.
Pursue and wait for a Godly woman. Gosh, this is so important!! Dating God's way is becoming so rare and so "out of style." It's considered old-fashioned to date with meaning. It is almost unheard of to wait for marriage to have sex. This is also a lesson that I learned the hard way. I have done it the "popular" way, Kody. I have dated many many men. I did not wait for my future husband to have sex. I have felt the pain and loneliness, the desperation for something more, that this type of dating leaves you with. It is soul crushing and leaves devastation in its wake. When it comes time for you date, do it with the Lord in the center of your heart and the center of each relationship. If you do this, I can guarantee that you will have a pure and whole heart to give to your wife, and also just as importantly, you will leave each woman with her whole heart as well. When you are a little older, I will begin to have you take me on dates. I will teach you to bring her flowers, pull out her chair, pay for the dates, and walk her to her door. Remember these little lessons. When you start to date, DO NOT ask them out over text or e-mail. Do it in person. Treat her the way you will want some man treating your future wife if she is on a date too. Let her meet me and don't be afraid of that. Keep your body and hers sacred, but don't be afraid to kiss her if she is deserving of that from a man like you. I am positive that we will have many many talks about dating, but most importantly, just remember that I am on your side. I have been praying for your wife since the day you were born. Marriage is not what the movies wants you to think. It is hard. It takes not just a girl, but a woman of God who will dig in with you during the hard times. She is out there and she is more than worth the wait.
(By the way, if you ever doubt me on this, talk to your Uncle Christopher and Aunt Jessica... they will tell you how great it is!)
Find a passion. In this day and age, there are so many people that are traveling aimlessly through their days. They don't have anything that drives them. Nothing that puts a fire in their eyes. I want you to find the thing that Jesus puts in your heart that is the driving force for your days. Find the thing that puts a smile on your face, lights the fire in your spirit, and brings out a side of you that nothing else can. For me it is veterinary medicine. I still remember the first time I did a physical exam, placed a catheter, helped pull a calf, or placed my first stitches. My heart comes alive when I am helping animals. God put that love in my heart when he created me. Now, it is that passion that drives me every day. It is a blessing to wake up and get to do what I love most, so when you find that passion, hold on to it! Chase it and go at it with your whole heart. You will discover new things about you as you do that are wonderful. There will be many things along the way that make you happy too, enjoy these to the fullest. Anything that the Lord brings to your life that enhances it, relish those things.
Never ever give up. Perseverance is an important characteristic that every man needs. While God promised that His plans for us are good, He never promised that every day would be easy. I wish that I could protect you from every hard time that will come, but I can't. So, when those hard times do come, I want you to remember to never stop. Push through those days, weeks, and months that push you to your limit. Another important lesson your grandpa taught me is that momentum is the key to life. It may be hard to start, but once you get going in the right direction, it's hard to stop. Remember that. Men need to learn to be strong. Someday you will have your own family, and when the times get really hard, they will look to you for their strength. When you are feeling weak, turn to God for his strength. The Bible teaches us that our strength is found in His might. He will never let you down.
Go to college. While I realize that there are many things a person can do in their lives without a college education, there are things that college does for you that are so good. It will teach you self-discipline. I won't be there anymore to tell you to study or go to bed when you should. I won't be there to tell you to go to church. It's all up to you! College will put you out of your comfort zone. It will force you to make new friends, to try new things, and to travel to new places. College will give you life-long memories. There are football games, clubs to join, trips to take, and new adventures that home can't really offer in the same way. I lived a pretty sheltered life in Amarillo. When I went to Texas A&M, I was blown away at the difference. I grew a lot in college and wouldn't take it back. Yes, your college degree will help you find a great career, but it will also teach you life lessons to help you along your path.
Take the time to travel. God has created such an amazing and wonderful world for His children. It would be a shame for you not to explore it. Every nation, land, and people have lessons to teach us. There are sights that are humbling to see. While you are young, I want you to make a list of every place you would like to see, and promise me, before you are old and gray, that you will make it to every one of them. Climb to the top of a mountain. Swim the Great Barrier Reef. Experience the pain of the Colosseum. Travel Europe and learn where our ancestors came from. Go to Africa and see the majestic animals there. Enjoy the sun on a beach in South America. Walk the Great Wall of China and realize all that people are capable of. Most importantly, everywhere you go, spread God's love and learn as much as you can. Also, be sure to send your mom a postcard.
This is by no means all that I need to tell you for your life. I will have hundreds of lessons to teach you, but the last one I want to tell you for today, is one that I want you to remember for the rest of your life. Kody, I am your mommy and will always always love you. I never knew my heart was capable of this kind of love until I held you for the first time. The very first time I looked at you, something inside me broke. Your little face looking at mine, broke the wall around my heart that I had built. I had become a hard woman who was impenetrable. You were my saving grace.
I love you and am proud of you.
- Mommy
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