Dear Easton,

Welcome to the family!  Welcome to the world!  At six months old now, you’re learning all kinds of things!

Even before the gender reveal party, when your mama pitched a baseball to your daddy and he hit the ball that exploded blue, we were waiting on you!   You’ve been loved from the beginning!

There’s so much ahead of you!  You’ve already grown like a weed the last six months and now you stare in people’s eyes when they hold you and start smiling and laughing.  You’re even working on turning over!  Soon you’ll be doing all kinds of things!

It’s funny how it will all seem so extraordinarily slow to you, but so incredibly fast to the adults in your life!  In fact, the longest year of your life will be when you turn 15 and waiting on your driver’s license.  Then, it will seem like forever before you graduate from high school, become a legal adult and then turn 21.

Don’t begrudge those years, Easton.  They are full of fun, adventure, life and memories!

After you reach those milestones Easton, and every other one in life, time will start to fly by faster than you can possibly imagine!

Number your days.  Each day, every week, remember things about them. Don’t let any go by without treasuring something that’s happened in that time.  Those, even when it doesn’t seem like it at the time, will be some fantastic memories.

Make goals. It’s true a goal not reached is a bitter taste, but a goal accomplished tastes like the essence of life.  Chase your dreams early on.  Rarely do people regret chasing their dreams early on as much as they regret sitting on their hands as their dreams float away.

On major life decisions, Easton, seek wise counsel.  Wise counsel won’t tell you what you want to hear, but tell you the truth.

Listen. Seek out people who know, love and want the very best for you.  Seek out people who have been through it, not the ones walking in it. Those who love you most will tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear. There’s safety in the multitude of wise counsel. Ask for it, Easton.

Also, there will be a little voice inside you called your conscience.  Listen for it! You will realize one day that you aren’t perfect, far from it.  It’s OK. No one is.  We all need a Savior to set us free.  You will too, Easton.

When you hear that call, the distinct sound of Jesus speaking to your heart, wanting your attention, asking if you will follow Him, answer yes.  Only you can decide for yourself, but following Jesus is the single most important decision in life you can ever make! Believe, confess, then follow Jesus as Lord.

Love the Lord God with all your heart, soul and might. After that, love other people as you do yourself, not more than yourself. That’s low self esteem, and not less than yourself, for that is prideful arrogance.  Love others as yourself.

As you grow up, there will be fewer people telling you what to do. You’ll be free to choose.  Listen to your conscience.  If you make a mistake, and you will, admit it. Speak truth. Go back and fix it the best you can.  It’s one thing to make a mistake, it’s quite another to make the same one over and over.

Remember, Easton — you have a brain in your head, heart in your chest and feet in your shoes. Keep them in the right places!  Let your brain control where your feet go because your heart will steer you wrong, but let your heart sing to your brain so your feet can dance.

Don’t put your heart on your sleeve, your foot in your mouth, or your head in the back of your pants.  Keep them where they belong!

On the other hand, Easton, your brain and heart need to be friends.  A man who uses only his brain is coldly logical, demanding, often merciless, and over calculated.  A man who uses only his heart is mushy weak, facile, often lacks conviction, and needs direction. However, someone whose brain and heart work together can produce a man who is tough and tender, compelling and compassionate, powerful and soothing, strong and sensitive, determined and flexible. Be that kind of a man!

Lastly, Easton, do your best in all you do. You don’t have to be THE best, just DO your best. Your best is enough for everyone around you, so let it be enough for you too.  Later in life, nothing can pain you more than not meeting an unrealistic ambition.  That doesn’t mean have low goals. Hardly. Aim high! You never know when you may catch a ride on a comet!  You’re meant to fly!

But when it comes to your character, education, friendships, work, hobbies and every other facet of your life, don’t settle.  Don’t compromise. Don’t give up. Keep going! Push ahead! Stand strong!

No matter what comes your way, good or bad, happy or sad, stand tall in the batter’s box.  Scrape your cleats in the dirt and swing away.  There will always be curve balls in your life, and it will usually feel like a full count with two away in the bottom of the ninth inning, but a base hit, a RBI, even the home run, they are always possible.  Watch the ball. If it’s in the strike zone, swing. Hard!

You can’t control what happens to you, only how you respond.

Sometimes in life Easton, you will be at the top of your game, surrounded by others after hitting the game winning home run.  Don’t be surprised though when there are times when you sink to your knees in the batter’s box after a powerful, level swing, but you missed, you struck out.

It’s OK. As long as you did your best, it’s alright. The hard times will still be hard, but there is a silver lining…they make the good times that much better.

Swing, Easton Colt. Swing away!

Love always,

PawPaw

P.S. When I sneak you chocolate cake, wipe the crumbs off your cheeks and do NOT tell anyone!  You and I can get a lot of things done, but we have to work together or your Mama will find out about the cake!