You're Our Trophy Winner

Dear Byron,

We all had a good time visiting Grandma Cheryl and Grandpa Derrick this past Christmas, didn't we? You even got to stay with them all by yourself for a few days while Mommy and Daddy took a vacation jaunt to Las Vegas. And now you're back home in Houston. Here's a photo we took of you and Daddy in the backyard at Grandma's and Grandpa's place.

The photo looks like you're all set to make that long pass downfield. Now that full size football is a bit hard for you to spiral, but you're getting pretty good at passing a kid-size one with a great overhead throw, even though you're a few months short of two years old. It won't be long before you'll really have it down pat. And if you look at the photo you can tell that Daddy's quite pleased with your choice of sports.

Here in Texas there are lots of dads who really look forward to their sons playing football. As you'll soon find out, that sport is big, starting in grade school and continuing all through college. As you will also learn soon, Daddy graduated from Texas A and M—the fightin' Texas Aggies! The Aggies have really been making national news this year during their first year in the Southeast Conference. They  finished with a surprising 10-2 (SEC 6-2) record. They even beat Alabama, the number one college football team in the nation.

But the really big news was "Johnny Football", star freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel, winning the Heisman Trophy. And now he'll hopefully lead his team to a victory in the Cotton Bowl.

I don't know if you'll ever play football or be a great athlete. We'll have to see what happens and what abilities you have inherited from your family. Up to this point we have not been known as a family of outstanding athletes. Perhaps you'll start the tradition.

The point I want to make, however, is that we all want you to do the kinds of things with your life that both give you a sense of value and bring blessings to other people at the same time. Football is great, but what about becoming an outstanding engineer like Daddy or a brilliant lawyer like Mommy or a devoted teacher like Grandma Cheryl or prize-winning farmer like Grandpa Derrick? From my viewpoint, the world will always need committed pastors to lead Christian congregations and social workers like GGMa to find homes for little kids without parents. There are hundreds of opportunities to do great things. And even if you never become known as a trophy winner, we'll still be proud of you and love you. You are a special blessing to us all.

And above all never forget that Jesus made you His child and a member of His eternal family on the day you were baptized. He will always guide and lead you on the football field or wherever He wants you to be. After all, that's why we celebrated Christmas.

We're looking forward to your second birthday in a couple months. Maybe this year you'll get that spiral down really well.

We love you,

GGPa