Sunrise over the Sea of Galilee

Boys,

I just took a picture of the Sun over the Sea of Galilee. It is just after the beautiful sunrise.

I wish you were here with me. I wish your mom was too.

Dad

Baseball Begins!

Boys,


Last night, the baseball season for this year officially begins for you. It will include many late nights and lots of eating out, but hopefully it will also include some fun. The purpose is to remember that baseball is a game, and games are meant to be fun. Enjoy your time.

Dad

The Birth of Marshmerrios

Boys,

Normally I try to impart words of wisdom to you or tell you how special I think you are. Now, I want you to know how special your mom is. She created a new dessert last night. You were asleep, and your mom created a new yummy goodness out of nothing.

They are called marshmerrios, and they are great.

Dad

Run to the Rescue

Boys,

There is a report on the news of an incident where a boy was apparently troubling a young girl while riding home from school on the bus (even possibly committing a crime against her). Now, all of the facts are not known, so it is hard to say what was really going on. With that said, the part that stuck out to me was that there was 60 or so kids on the bus, and no one intervened to help the young girl.

Don't let this be your story.

We have talked about this before:

• Never start a fight.
• There are times to walk away from a fight.
• Always protect yourself and come to the protection of the innocent in a fight.
• There is no such thing as a fair fight.

I might have said this before, but be gentle warriors.

Dad

I can do it better.

Boys,

I want you to know that I am consistently proud of you. When you succeed or when you fail, I remain proud. You must realize that both your mom and I are so much more in love with you than any thing that you could ever accomplish. Have confidence to try new things, knowing that failure is not the end of the world. Remember the movie, Meet the Robinsons, when the stated their motto as, "Keep moving forward."

With that said, I want you to always try to do your best. I want you to always remember that it can probably be done better, to try to improve every day. Walk in a pattern of satisfaction vs. dissatisfaction, meaning that you don't become overwhelmed and "frozen" by a lack of perfection, but you are constantly looking for ways to learn and grow.

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Isaac,
The other night you were showing me how you could dribble the basketball. You did it, and immediately said, "Wait, I can do it better."

I love the fact that you wanted to show me your best.

I love you boys,

Dad

Isaac's Dream

Boys,

I want you to dream. I've told you that before, so it is nothing new to hear it now. However, I am now speaking about something a little more spiritual.

There are times when you will dream and it will be nothing. There are other times, though, that a dream will mean something. Don't be so quick to discount a dream.

Isaac, you had a dream night before last that we need to remember.

The dream was that our entire family (Grandparents and all, I think) walked up some steps to a massive door. We were looking around and couldn't decide how to get in, but since you were the smallest you had the key. You were able to see the word "elephant", and when you did the doors opened for all of us to enter. (At this point, there was something about Jonah (the oldest) and a sword, but I don't remember it all.) When we entered, there was massive amounts of candy.

I mentioned this because mom got an email about what someone felt God was saying to His Church for this year. He was saying that we were going up to "another level" and there would be a door. There is a key to open that door that God will give, and inside there are treasures.

Sounds kind of like your dream, huh, Isaac?

Dad

Love

Boys,

What does it mean to love? When will you know that you are “in” love?

These are the questions that will be (or already are) on your mind. As males, you honestly probably won’t contemplate the question of love as much as the girls that you are around. You also probably won’t feel the same emotions as early as they. However, you will think about it.

I want to encourage you not to worry about it. Learn who you are, and be confident in that. Everything else will fall into place. If you try to let a relationship define you, you will never be self-confident enough to benefit the other in that relationship.

I write about this because of my conversation with you, Jonathan, last night:

Jonathan: Dad, do you have to date when you are in high school… or college?

Me: No, you don’t have to date. Why?

J: I was wondering if you had to date in high school or college.

Me: No, you don’t have to.

J: Why do you date Mom?

Me: Well, because I love her.

J: Do you have to date if you love somebody?

Me: No, but if you love somebody you will want to date her.

J: But do you have to date?

Me: No. But there will be people that you think you love, and that you at least like, and you will want to date them. You don’t have to worry about that for now, do you?

J: No. I just wanted to know if you have to date.

Me: No, not if you don’t want to. You just be friends and everything will work out. It’s ok if you like somebody, but don’t worry about that right now.

A little later:

Jonathan: Dad, how do you tell someone you love them?

Me: Well, that’s a hard question. It’s really as simple as saying, “I love you,” but it is had to do sometimes.

J: Because you don’t know what they are going to say?

Me: Yeah, you might not know how they feel and what they will say back.

J: Did you tell Mom?

Me: I think I said something like, “I think I am falling in love with you.”

J: Yeah.

Me: Jonathan, do you think you are in love with someone?

J: No.

Me: Ok. You will like a lot of people. But you will know when you are in love.

J: Ok. Daddy, I love you.

Me: I love you, too.

I love you guys,

Dad