Dear Logan, (February 21st, 2012)

Dear Logan,

     I started to write you a few times in the last month, but always got side-tracked. This is because what I most struggle with in life is often balancing the many things I try to take on. Which leads me to what I want to share with you tonight: Balancing what you love.
     You see, son, I have a habit of getting overly busy, but always with things that are good in most ways... but too much of them can get in the way of what is really important. People tell me that too much of a good thing is a bad thing, and that's true in many ways. Because of this, I fear that what I'll teach you by example is not what really is the most important things in life. So, if I write it down for you, at least maybe you'll see this some day and be able to compare what you know about your dad with what you should learn about life.
     First of all, son, God comes first. If this is not the foundation of your life, nothing else will work right. Sure, things may seem to be "fun" without God, but in the end you'll find out just how little your life is fulfilled without Him. It's just something you'll have to learn for yourself, but when God is your highest priority, life works, even through the trials. Jesus said that if you seek God first, everything else will be added to you, and that is very true.
     Now, just in case you follow dear-old-dad into some ministry, you need to know that working for God and putting God first are not the same thing. Some pastors put the work of the church before their family thinking that they are serving God more fully. They are not. God, as in your relationship with Him, comes first, but ministry (or any job, vocation, etc) comes THIRD. Don't let any pious person try to tell you differently. If you try to put the "work of God" before your family... you won't have a family after long.
     So, then, your family comes second. As a pastor, I will be very busy in your life-time. Often I'll spend so much time helping other people that I may not seem to be there for your mother or you. That's not the way God wants things, though. If I do it too much, I'm going against God! Even though I'm working "for God," the primary ministry that I have is your mother, yourself, and any future brothers and sisters you may have. When "ministry" takes too much time away from you guys, it can become something that gets in the way of what God truly has for that primary ministry. If you ever look back and read this, and you find yourself in a career, vocation, calling, or even a ministry of your own, remember to prioritize your family as the second spot in your life. Hopefully, I will have set a good example in this for you.
     What comes third is up to you. Some people will tell you it's yourself. Others will say its your job (actually, "they" will probably tell you that the job comes first... they're wrong). Still others will say it's pleasure or something foolish. You have to decide what comes next in your priorities. But, as long as you seek God first, put your family next, and are level-headed about the third through last things... you'll do well, my son.
     By the way, your mother somehow stumbled on these letters to you (about 30 weeks into the pregnancy) and started to cry. She loves you very much. So do I. I can't wait to see you and start putting you as a part of my second most important aspect of life! Only 8 more weeks.