Today you become what you always have been... an eleven. You now have the number of years to match your level of intensity. Eleven, you just met your match! Look out world, Finneas Haddon Foxe, the eleven of all elevens, is now eleven years old. Never before have so many elevens congregated in one place, than today, in this young man. It's going to be a fun ride. I'm glad I’ve got a front row seat.
You are growing in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and people. You are always a fan favorite wherever we go. People like you. Can't blame them. You're easy to like.
You have great comedic timing and a willingness to be silly in order to make others smile. You don't mind being the center of attention, but don't need to be either.
You proactively look to the interests of others. When you're given the chance to pick a meal, you are often quick to consider what others would want. You like to dominate, but you feel the weight of responsibility for your decisions. That is exactly what a man should do. A man who dominates without care for others is a tyrant. May God help you continue to be more and more like your namesake, Phinehas, who knew how to leverage his strength for the sake of others, but also had the self-control and strength to hold back for the sake of others.
Remember how you were really into tank tops for a while? I do. That was awesome.
You and Rocco are best buds. Rocco looks up to you and likes doing what you do. This is a great honor and a great responsibility. It is also a good opportunity to practice being a dad. A father sets the example for his kids to follow. A good father leads his children well so that the more they follow in his footsteps, the more like Jesus they become.
You are a natural disciple-maker. You ride your own melt and people naturally gravitate to you and want to get caught up in your current. May you continue to use that privilege to lead others for their good and the glory of God.
You still care a great deal about lost people. You worry about the people you know who don't know Jesus or don't act like they do. It bothers you to think of people dying in their sins. You are not ashamed to share the Good News or to ask people about their spiritual beliefs. May God continue to bless you with this boldness and give you increased wisdom and understanding in your own faith so that you can respond well to your questions.
You insist on giving me a hug every night after I tuck you in. You like to have the last word, or the last whistle, I should say, as I walk up the stairs. You like to say, "Goodbye" before I go on walks and you like to greet me once I'm home. You are aware of peoples comings and goings and like to let people know that you care about their comings and goings.
You are a great cartoonist. You have developed your own style of drawing characters. You also write funny poems like your “Brains! It's the End” series. You are a creative kid.
You also love music. You really like P.O.D., Red, and Showbread. You rock out on your headphones on Sunday afternoons in the conservatory while you play with your Joes. You are always banging a beat on something. You seem like you need a set of drums. Maybe someday?
I am proud of you, my son. You are strong, brave, fun, smart, caring, and cool.
I can't wait to see what 11 holds for you. Many people have often predicted that God has something special assigned for you. You were born for such a time as this and I can't wait to see how you take on such a time as this with all the gifts God has given to you.
I love you, Finneas and I like being your dad,
Happy Birthday, brother.
Love,
Dad
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