You are growing up so much. Well, some of you is growing up so much. Other parts of you are staying about the same size. If you keep this up, your insides will one day be larger than your outsides. You are maturing in so many ways. I can see God at work in you giving you a love for others and an interest in other people's interests. You voluntarily give up your preferred seat in order to make room for someone else to enjoy it. You decide to clean something up so that someone else can enjoy the pleasure of a neat and tidy room. All that to say, you think about other people and are demonstrating the fruits of the Spirit that inspired the apostle Paul to write, "Do nothing out of a selfish ambition and vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourself. Each of you should look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." (Php. 2:3-4)
You are always full of energy. You like doing parkour on me and having me help you jump as high as you can and then suspending yourself in mid-air. You run most places you go. You enjoy running. You delight in going as fast as you can. You are almost always smiling and can be counted on for the strongest, longest hugs a dad can have.
You are super strong. Like, is she a secret superhero who spends her evenings stopping crime, strong. Every muscle you have is muscular. You are like a living stick of beef jerky, only cuter and more fun to find on the floor.
You are a beautiful young lady. You have gorgeous hair and beautiful skin and the best part is that you don't seem too caught up in it. You are pretty and you like being pretty, but you don't spend much time fishing for compliments. You are content with who God made you to be and grateful for all that you are.
You are a fantastic artist. You are really developing a style of your own and I love seeing how God is giving you creative abilities to express yourself. I like the person you are and I love that I am getting to know you more as God gives you the ability to share your gifts with the rest of us.
You love to dance. Anytime a jam comes on, you are quick to retreat to your bedroom and reenter the room in your ballerina outfit ready to spin and jump. You make dance parties more dancey and parties more party-y. You are a blast to have around.
You still love sitting on my lap during Dad Time in the evenings. You like oddly satisfying videos and Jamie Grace. You like singing along with the songs you've come to know and performing new songs with your sister that you work on together,
You are still VERY ticklish. Like, super, really, very ticklish. Like, watch out, someone might lose an eye, ticklish. You laugh and kick and wiggle and convulse and then come back for more. In being tickled, all your best qualities coalesce into one: your muscles, your energy, and your joy. They combine to create a tornado of tickle-time fun.
You love being one of the last ones to say, "Goodbye," anytime I leave the house. You love your daddy and I love you too. I love knowing that when you think of the word, "dad," you think happy thoughts. It will serve you well as you come to know and love your Heavenly Father more and more as you get older and older.
You may not be getting much bigger, but you are definitely growing older. You are a happy, fun, respectful, thoughtful, young lady and I love being your dad. I can't believe God has given me the fun of getting to spend my days with you.
Happy birthday Laurelai! May you grow in wisdom and stature and favor with God and with others and may you give and receive honor as your name implies, in every way, for all your days.
I like you and I love you,
Always have, always will,
No matter what,
Forever and ever,
Amen.
Love,
Dad
No comments:
Post a Comment