Junior

    That moment changed everything for me. I saw the world through a different lens. The words, “love” and “respon-sibility” took on completely different meanings. It was one thing to go from “single” to “husband.” That was actually pretty easy (for me––not for Linda!). But going from “man” to “father” changed me forever.
    Junior wasn’t always “Junior.” He actually has a different middle name than me and we originally planned on calling him “Daniel,” for his middle name. But everyone called him Scottie, so that’s what stuck. As a little guy, he would shoot across the floor before he learned to crawl, so we started calling him “Scoot.” Then came, “Scoot the toot.” I won’t mention where the “toot” came from ☺.
    He has always been a lot of fun. Junior loves to laugh and tease, and in our family, that’s a primary love language. I’ll never forget when he was a teenager and he started losing his hair. He was really worried about it. Linda told him one day that mayonnaise is good for hair and that it cures baldness, if you use it early and often enough. I knew she was making it up and left the room to keep from laughing. A few days later, the mayonnaise was scraped clean from the jar!
    In junior high and high school, he was a pleasure to be around. We never had to endure the rebellious teenage years that so many parents struggle through. He was a good athlete, decent student, looked out for the kids who got picked on (actually got into a few fights defending them), and outside of a few TP pranks on church and school people, never got into trouble. Between all that and his 6’1” frame, I’ve often wondered if we accidentally brought the wrong kid home from the hospital!
    But what I have appreciated most about my oldest son, is his heart. He truly seeks to live for Christ and loves to serve. Here at The Bridge, there are not many people who are more active in ministry.
    Today, he graduated from college. Wow! Some of you have been through this before so it may be no big deal to you. But it is to Linda and I. We couldn’t be more proud. I have often told my kids, “It doesn’t matter what vocation you choose in life, so long as you are passionate about serving God and other people.” Even through his college years, while maintaining a job, full time school, and now a fiancee, serving in ministry has been a priority.
    Thanks for being the son you are, Junior. And thanks for your example. Mom and I love you and are very proud of you!