It's not quite a quiver full, but it's a start!

Thursday, April 12, 2012

A Letter to my Daughter

My Sweet Girl,

I have always said I wanted a strong-willed daughter. That way I knew I wouldn't have to worry about anyone convincing her to do something she didn't want to do. I suppose it was God preparing my heart for you. I absolutely love you, my firecracker. I know that sometimes it does make it harder, but I wouldn't trade your spirit for anything in the world. I love the fact that your daddy can handle you perfectly, although with all the practice he has handling me there's really no surprise. The fire that God placed in you will be used for great things, I just know it. Don't ever allow anyone to tell you that it's not good, that you should try to change, that you should conform to who other people want you to be. Sometimes in the moment, I may wish you were more "obedient" or "cooperative", but I know that I am to raise you up as an independent woman who is strong in her values and you are already farther on that journey than most even though you are only two years old.

Your thirst for knowledge reminds me so much of myself. I love that you want me to read to you for hours, and know that no matter how old you get, I will still want to read with you. I'm so blessed that you share my passion for books and for learning, and I can't wait to see where it will take you. Never stop learning. No matter how much you think you know, you will never reach the point where you know it all, so never stop searching for answers, for the truth. Wisdom is the greatest thing you can ever gain, but don't mistake knowledge and wisdom as the same thing. Make sure you are dedicating your life to the right one.

You are the smartest two year old I know. Don't let anyone lead you to believe that there is nothing behind that beautiful blonde hair and those big blue eyes. Being beautiful does not mean that a woman cannot be intelligent as well. Remember to always keep a balance between the two of them. Don't ever underestimate the power of your beauty and never use that for your advantage. God can use you for amazing things, but not if  you let your pride stand in your own way. God gave you your beauty for a reason, don't ever believe that it makes you any better or any worse than anyone else.

There are days when I look at you and I swear I can see the woman you will become. I pray for the man you will one day meet. I pray that you two will both seek out only each other, and that you will each be able to present yourselves perfectly to the other. I pray that God is preparing him for you, that God is preparing his family for you, and that God is preparing us for him. My greatest prayer is that your father and I can model to you what a godly relationship looks like, that your father can provide you an image of a man that you will long to seek after, but one that will be hard to find.

Never stop singing and never stop dancing. Continue to live your life like it is a musical. Always keep a song in your heart and a swing in your steps, and if life gets a little tough don't be afraid to just let it all out. Never stop asking me to sing with you, never stop asking your father to dance with you. No matter how old you get, I hope that there is no one you would rather sing and dance with more than us.

I want to be your best friend, even if sometimes I have to be the bad guy. I promise that I will always look out for you and what is best for you. I am not trying to just make you do what I want you to do or become who I want you to be. I pray that God gives me the wisdom to lead you as He calls me to, that He will give me the ability to raise you up the way He wants, not the way I want. I will always support your dreams, never be afraid to share them with me. No matter how silly you may think they are or how unattainable they may seem, I will do everything I can to help you achieve them.

Please listen to my advice and know that I don't give it lightly. Believe it or not, I have been where you are and there is nothing that you are going to go through that has not effected me in one way or another. I know the hurt of failed love, the sting of betrayal, the pain of loneliness. I know failure, I've had crushed dreams, I've felt the disappointment. I have been tempted, I have given in and I have remained strong. No matter where you are, I have been there too. I want to share with you my advice not to prove I am smarter than you, but because if there is one thing I want to do more than anything it is spare you pain. And if I can spare you even the tiniest bit of pain because of my own experiences then it makes all of them worth it.

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