Three Things for Hayden

I really didn’t intend for the June Group Writing Project to become a serious repository for the three most important things ever in your life. I figured most people would take a light-hearted approach, especially after the ever-so-serious topic for May, “Dear Children. . .” I was bowled over by how introspective and thought-provoking many (perhaps most) of the posts turned out.

And now I feel as though I should share the three things that I really want for Hayden. The things I worry about on nights when it’s too hot to sleep, when I see other women’s children alone in the world, when I am alone in a quiet house, not working.

Hayden, if ever you read this (and I’m rather confident you will, since nothing is ever lost on the Internet, and I have yet to throw away a computer), these are the three most important things I can tell you:

1. Love God with all your heart, might, mind and strength. Keep your eye single to His glory. Do the best that you can—and sometimes, even better—and He will strengthen you in this life and make you more than you could have imagined. (To say nothing of the next life!)
2. Love your future wife. Always be faithful to her, whomever she is, whatever she may be doing—starting now. Life your life to be worthy of her that when you finally meet her, you will be ready to marry her.
3. O be wise; what can I say more? I know that you are young, and are not yet wise.  But many, many, many wise people have lived before us.  I will try to teach you the things which they have learned from sad experience, that you will not have to make the difficult, painful mistakes that so many of us make.  I cannot tell you all the things that may happen to you if you make poor choices, but I can tell you the most important things you can do in this life to make you and those around you truly happy.

Stay tuned for this afternoon’s announcement of the June Group Writing Project Winner!