Just some early morning thoughts from me to you…

“Draw me close to You, Never let me go.

I lay it all down again, to hear You say that I’m Your friend.”

                                                                                                            Katinas

            It was a long night last night, going over some last minute things for this week’s upcoming Impact for Living Conference in Tampa.  Nathan and I wrestled with many things, trying to figure out what would work best, and trying to anticipate some areas of concern which might never arise.  But we created contingencies anyway.

            I realized some things afterward and this morning.  

            I am blessed with a son who is smarter than me, has a gentle spirit, unselfish, sacrificial even to the point of being taken advantage of, and with a desire to have others come out ahead of him.  He strives to be the husband Paul writes about Ephesians 5—love your wives as Christ loved the church—and the son and father Paul paints in chapter 6—honor your father and mother [and] bring [your children] up in the training and instruction of the Lord. 

He is not always appreciated by those who should, and all too often he never hears words of affirmation for what he does.  Those who know of his gentle nature take advantage of him and yet he continues on.  He continues to do good things anyway.

            And today is his birthday. 

And sadly, in the busyness of planning and preparing it seemed as though no one stopped long enough to appreciate him and his special day.  It was all about something else, or personal interests, self-centered agendas, and not enough about him.  Not enough at all.

That’s too bad—because none of us who love him will ever get another chance to do it over.  I know there’s a part of him that has missed something from the absence of appreciation for his day.  But I know Nathan—and he is looking for the next thing he can do to lift someone else.

I also realized in the midst of the busyness of the moments of the last few days that the important things—like his life—remain.  Like the words of the song above by Katinas, they are times to not only draw closer to each other but closer to the God Who loves us as He draws us closer to Him…

Draw me close to You, never let me go
I lay it all down again, to hear You say that I’m Your friend

You are my desire, no one else will do
‘Cause nothing else could take Your place, to feel the warmth of Your embrace
Help me find the way, bring me back to You

You’re all I want, You’re all I’ve ever needed
You’re all I want, help me know You are near

            Happy Birthday dear son. 

Thanks for always being who you are—who God made you.  Thanks for being a rudder in the lives of those you love—and who love you.  Thanks for forgiving us when we don’t show it, or let you down, and are less than we should be.

            Thanks for being the example of how we should be in the world for others.

            And thank you, Lord, for creating him special, precious and unique, and introducing us to him months later at 10:54 am on Sunday, February 9, 1969…and then sending him into the world to be a light…Your light.

            Happy Birthday dearest son.  I can’t imagine my life without you!

                                                                        In His Name—Scott (Dad)

P.S.  By the way—the new book written by Tony Dungy and our Son, Nathan, has just become available.  The title is “Uncommon: Finding Your Path to Significance.”  You can find it at your local bookstore, or read more about it, and order your copy, online at www.coachdungy.com