Refusing to be Pigeonholed, Pegged, or Pinned

This time tomorrow I will have been the proud mother of the most wonderful fella in the world for two decades! The time has certainly flown. He is such an amazing young man. He is complex and complicated with a very tender heart. I will never forget the first moment I held him in my arms, how he smelled, how felt and how my heart expanded to feel a depth of love I have never known. From the moment his blinking, little eyes grasped mine, I was forever in love!

When I try to categorize him or describe him, this is difficult. I often say to others who inquire about him, "He is just so amazing, you have to meet him. He is very independent and unique."(Some would even say he is "Fearfully and Wonderfully made). Both of my children are unique paradoxes and quite strong-willed in their own right.

From the day of his birth, Tyler has been defying our predictions and refusing to allow us to pigeonhole or peg him. I recall thinking I was in labor--though it was two weeks early--and making a 2:00 p.m. visit to my doctor. He assured me that it would be several more days. WRONG! It was only several more hours. After disappointedly going home to wait for a few more days, Tyler decided to make his arrival only 6 hours later at 8:35 p.m. We were hardly at the hospital long enough to settle in, until we were holding a 6lb 3oz, 19 in long beautiful boy! This was only the first surprise of the evening, because we were told that Tyler would be a girl! WRONG! The ultrasounds twenty years ago were really good, but not a accurate as those of today, and Tyler (true to form) never gave us a great view as to his gender. So, my doctor's best prediction was a girl. We scrambled to change the "Cabbage Patch Doll" themed nursery to a circus theme ASAP. (The circus theme seemed appropriate since Tyler was quite the clown. Grandma Susan and Paw Paw Ronnie's first gift to him was a porcelain clown doll.)

Through the years, Tyler has continued to be his own person. He has always been so independent and has never allowed others to choose his path for him. This fact has been the source of my greatest joy and my greatest frustration at times. Watching him as he won the countywide silver medal for wrestling in middle school and the tenacity he displayed always astounded me. He was only pinned once by someone he had pinned earlier. What a determination!

So, this is my boy! He won't be be pigeonholed, pegged or pinned. He continues to surprise us and to forge his own path. I am thankful that this path is forged with God. I am also thankful that the tenacity and firm grip that he has on his own course is the same one he has in his faith. For certainly, there is no love I want more for Tyler than for him to be in love with The King of Kings.  Happy birthday my precious, Tyler! When did you grow so fast?

Hebrews 22-25 So let’s do it—full of belief, confident that we’re presentable inside and out. Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.