Iron Sharpens Iron, Men Strengthen Men

I have said since the day you were born that you were a blessing from God. No one would have predicted what the future had in store for our family with the tragic loss of your sister. But to be honest, without you to keep our family active with regular day-to-day life duties, we might have fallen off the cliff into untold grief. Only God knows… 

So…even though I have to mention her loss because it happened; today this post is all about you…and everything began with your birth on August 27th, 2002, and now, fast forwarding to the present, a Grand Canyon University college graduate. 

But before I can celebrate the present, I have to go back to the past and talk about how you got here son. Besides the reason above, how did you make it from then (22 + years) to today, walking across that podium and accepting that Criminal Justice Degree? Well let’s talk about that- 

It started with you being born into the amazing family you have. Your sister was so excited about your upcoming birth that she literally interrupted my big birth announcement to the whole family and told me I was taking too long to tell everyone. From before day one, she was ready to have you around and be your big sister. Oh, and by the way, your older brother was pretty excited to have you show up too.

You grew up with your days filled with piano lessons, grandmas, and baseball…and not necessarily in that order. Both of your grandmas kept you very busy when you were young. One of them helped you learn over 100 Bible verses and the other one drove you all over town looking for squishies? I think that’s what you called them. But back to piano and baseball. The thing is, you were very good at both, and soon they competed for your time and much to your grandmother’s chagrin, you chose baseball. And that turned out to be a good choice with everything you accomplished by the age of 13.

You played so well that you earned a roster spot on the Little League All Star team your 10, 11, and 12 year old seasons. Those same 3 years your team also won the District tournament which was hard to do. The day I knew baseball was your sport was when your team played a tune-up game against the vaunted Encinitas Reds, a local travel ball team that was stacked with talent. They had a young man pitching that was 12 years old, 6 feet tall and could throw the equivalent of 80 mph because of the short pitching distance. I will never forget when you launched his fastball completely out of the park into the neighborhood behind. EVERYONE turned around and looked at me screaming out of their minds at what you did. I am pretty sure you were just as shocked as everyone that you hit such a bomb.

I am not sure you knew this, but your mom and I worked hard to keep you in Christian schools. In fact, you went to the same school your entire life; Pre-K through high school, which helped build loyalty as well as create long-time friendships like what you have with Caleb. It is beyond crazy to me that you are college dorm roommates but met in a pre-K class. Being friends for that long is difficult because as you get older, your interests change, and the people you enjoy also change. But you are both still friends even through 4 years of living together in college. I find that very impressive.

What I have always enjoyed watching you do is find something you want to try and then you attack it with a ferocity. No one likes to lose but especially you and if you can avoid that through preparation, you do. Take Football as an example. You decided you wanted to play in 8th grade and you stuck with it through your senior year. You learned new positions and then completely changed your body shape to play them.

Finally, and I love this, you shared what you learned with your teammates. Before each huddle broke, you made sure each person knew who they had to block which made all the difference. Your team was amazing. In your senior year, in your division, your team won the equivalent of a state title in that pandemic shortened season…AND…No one can take away from you.

But life goes on and then High School was over and you pressed on to College where out of the many choices you had, you chose GCU in Phoenix, AZ. And, as I previously mentioned you and Caleb have been able to be room mates these last few years together. And to all of our excitement, you succeeded…you graduated.

I am sure I don’t have to remind you but over the last 4 years you have dealt with and persevered through all kinds of problems; girl problems, priority issues, homework, late nights, early mornings, super late nights, roommates, crazy roommates, loneliness, grief, exhaustion, money problems, parents, 6-hour trips home, loyalty, laundry, cooking, cleaning, deadlines, fear, relationships, and the list goes on…all of this while maintaining your integrity. 

For all of these reasons and more, I tell you son that as your father, I could not be any prouder of you than I am right now. Did you make mistakes? Yep, and we all do (and continue to do) but yet you kept, and keep on, getting up and forging ahead. 

Adversity will come in your life. You have faced some of it already and will continue to face it because that is the way life happens. The question is, how will you face it? Will you cower and hide hoping that whatever it is, will blow over? Or will you stand up and look it straight in the eye and say, “God, you and I got this!” Because that is how God expects you to react. You have a calming personality and that will help you greatly when adversity comes your way…you can remain cool under pressure.

Now you get to take this degree you earned to move on to the next stage of your life. I know that you know your career choice is one that can put you in danger…but that is what you and God decided what you should pursue. Each and every day, I encourage you to begin by turning that day over to Christ and rest in the fact that He will protect you.

So here is my advice to achieve a satisfying life…

No matter what LIFE throws in your path; No matter what pain you may have to bear; No matter what suffering you may endure; or even hardships. OR maybe the opposite; No matter what successes you may enjoy; No matter what happiness you may be blessed with; 

NEVER EVER take your focus off of Jesus Christ. 

For you to endure anything in your future son, good or bad, you must trust and have faith in Him even if your mind says maybe to do something else. As I learned dealing with the death of your sister, sometimes we are not meant to understand the “why” part. 

Our job is to trust and rely on Him completely…your job, as the future head of your home, is to trust Him completely as well…

22+ years ago, God blessed me with a second son and he grew up to be you. And you? Well, you became an amazing blessing to our entire family and I firmly believe with all my heart that God has a strong and solid plan for your life. You are going to do GREAT things.

Your job is to take that first step, just like you have always done…

I Love You Son and I am truly blessed God chose me to be your Father…

Your Dad