It was a cold morning on this day four years ago when my life forever changed. At 8:19 a.m. Miranda and I welcomed a little baby boy into this world and our lives have never been the same since. I will forever be grateful for God allowing me the opportunity to be Caden’s earthly father. This little guy, although only in my life for a few short years, has already taught me many valuable lessons that I will forever cherish. In honor of his birthday, I would like to share a few of these life lessons.

1. Ask questions, and ask them often. I knew over the course of his life I would have to answer some of the tough questions that crossed his intriguing mind. Little did I realize those questions would come at such a young age. I am thankful he is already using his God given mind to stretch, grow and learn, but boy has that been challenging at times for daddy and mommy! Sometimes I am just not sure how to answer the little guy’s question because the answer may be complex and I am not sure how to explain such to a 4 year old. Caden’s fascination with learning and discovering is a constant reminder that even though I have degrees hanging on my office walls, I should never quit asking questions and stretching my mind.
2. Take time to play and do something you enjoy everyday. Caden loves to play many different things, but his favorite thing to do is play sports. So every night when I get home from work, Caden and I take time to play football, basketball, baseball and soccer. I know those are his favorite things to play and the things he most looks forward to everyday. What a great reminder this has been for me on a personal level. No matter how busy I am, I need to take time every day to do something I enjoy, whether that be going for a run, reading, writing or simply playing.
3. Set your mind to do something and then go do it. Right now Caden is at the age where he thinks he can do anything. No matter how many times we tell him he’s not big enough or old enough to do something, he follows by saying,”I can do it!” I have learned that just because I might not think he is old enough or big enough doesn’t necessarily mean that’s the case. I didn’t think Caden was big enough to hit a baseball without using a tee. He thought otherwise. After trying and succeeding to hit a baseball like big boys and girls, I realized he was right and I was wrong.This example can be repeated in many different areas of his young life. Thank you, Caden, for reminding daddy that you (and anyone for that matter) can accomplish almost anything if you set your mind to do so.
4. Love is an action, not just mere words. Too often people use the expression, “I love you” but allow their lives to say something different. Caden reminds me every day that it’s not enough just to say, “I love you” if my actions speak otherwise. I must demonstrate my love through my actions. I must demonstrate how important he is to me by giving him time and my undivided attention every day. My love for him, mommy and others needs to be expressed through my actions and behavior. The world would be a much better place if we all lived with this understanding.
5. Always remember to pray even for what others might think is insignificant. If you have ever heard a child pray you know what I mean here. Not only do children pray for what most adults would deem “important,” but they also pray for the things they deem to be important; the things that we as adults sometimes forget to pray about (toys, friends and being able to stay home with mommy and play). Listening to Caden pray is always a much needed reminder for my own prayer life. We should take time to pray for “ALL” our the blessings in our lives, even those blessings we sometimes take for granted.

They say you cannot teach an old dog new tricks, but I beg to differ. In just a few short years Caden has taught me many lessons that will bless my life from here on out. Lessons I had forgotten or might not have ever learned. Lessons I will forever be grateful to him for teaching me. I hope and pray God grants me many more years to be this little guy’s father. He is certainly a blessing from God. And who knows, in time I might be a completely different dog because of the many lessons my young son teaches me.

Now that’s Something to Think About!