My blog entry today is the column I wrote for our church newsletter.

(From time to time, when there are special moments in the lives of my children or my wife, I have used my pastor’s column to write a personal note to them. The following is one of those occasions.)
Dear Will:
This Sunday, you will walk across the platform at First Baptist Church, Dallas, GA. And you will be recognized as a senior in the Class of ’08. As you do, my mind will go back to a Saturday when I was cutting grass in the backyard of our home in Brookhaven, MS, and your mom came to the door to tell me she was in labor. The problem was, you weren’t due for two more weeks. You couldn’t come that day. Besides, I was starting a revival the next day and, well, you just needed to wait a couple of days. But, you’ve always had a mind of your own and you decided that, ready or not world, you were coming that day. Later that day, Saturday, July 14th, you entered the world at King’s Daughters Hospital.
Just like Robert and your sister, Sarah, you have been a lot of fun to watch grow up. It doesn’t seem possible that 18 years have passed. But they have and they have been good years.
You were small when your mom and I moved to the Gulf Coast. You played t-ball, Dixie youth baseball, pee wee football, basketball and were in R.A.’s in church. I think you even played the drums in the band one time. When you were in the 3rd grade, you received the award for reading the most books at Vancleave Elementary. I guess your name is still on a plaque in the hallway of that school. You’ve always had a little competitive streak in you. I guess you get that honest.
When you were 7 you asked Jesus into your heart. I remember on Christmas Eve I was baptizing you and you slipped on the steps coming into the baptistery and sort of busted up the candlelight Lord’s Supper service. But, it didn’t bother you much… you’ve always like to make a splash!
We moved to Dallas in December of ’04. That move could have been tough on you and, it may have been, but you didn’t say anything. You were determined to make the best of it and you have. It’s amazing to me that in a little over 3 years you’ve gone from being the new kid in town to President of your senior class. That’s pretty neat.
You’ve always loved kids and you are good with them. I think that’s an indication of your soft heart. You’ve never thought you were too “cool” to spend time with a child.
You love sports. And, some of my most memorable moments as a dad have been watching you and your brother and sister participate in sports. Yep, I was some kind of happy… maybe elated is a better word…. when you got the game winning hit against Hiram last year and then, hit a home run against Hiram this year. Like the Mastercard commercial says, “priceless.”
One of the best compliments I’ve received about you came from Coach Watts recently. He made some remarks about you that essentially said “He may not be the fastest or the strongest athlete on the field but, he plays with heart.” You do and I’m proud of you for it. I’ve told you before, one of the things that made me proud as a Dad was, in football and in baseball, you always ran to your spot. Didn’t matter if your team was losing badly, you ran to your spot. I was proud of you for doing that.
Will, your mom and I are proud of you. You are a fine young man. The best is yet to come.