25 Things I Want My Daughter To Know Before Anyone Tells Her Different

She didn't sleep for the first year. You know how they say that babies can sleep through anything? She could hear a pin drop on the moon and it would wake her up.

Her second year she learned to sleep a bit better although we still rarely go a week sleeping all the way through the night. That would be too misleading for the old parents. Gotta keep it interesting.

Two years. Two years of glorious life. Two years of wild, unstoppable, fearless joy.

I wrote last year about how she has brought it all full circle for this motherless daughter. 

This year I have a few things I want to say...25 things to be exact. 25 things that I want my girl to know before the world tries to ring her dry of her wild, unstoppable, fearless joy.

1) Everyone feels "different" and the reason is because we are all uniquely made by God. Fitting in just means ignoring God's amazing creativity in the way that He made you. Be you.
2) You are never not my daughter.
3) Motherhood is a incalculably valuable and sacred calling. If God calls you to be a mama then embrace it with both arms.
4) Choose Joy. Choose Joy. Choose Joy. Sara did and it is still blessing so many of us.
5) Let your only expectation in this life be "To live is Christ and to die is gain"
6) Don't ever let anyone tell you that something is better with raisins than it is with chocolate. That is a physical impossibility.
7) You are a stunning beauty. Stunning. At some point you'll hate something about yourself. Come to me and we'll talk about it.
8) Don't be afraid to take risks. Scratch that. Don't be afraid. Period. Fear will hold you down and hold you back and Jesus died to kill fear.
9) Learn to give thanks for everything. I mean everything. The good. The bad. The ugly. Learn this rare skill and you will find joy everywhere.
10) Those risks I told you to take? (See #8) There are only a handful of things worth risking your life for. I advise you to make your greatest risk in life the great Gospel of Jesus. The Gospel that heals and saves and makes dead people alive.
11) You are loved the way that you are, but dang it...I want you to know Jesus and for His love and goodness to be changing you to be more like Him.
12) If any boy (and I do mean BOY) tries to tell you that he loves you more than your mama and daddy then ask him this one question: "Will you read me "Go Dog Go" 40 billion times?" If he says yes, then know this 1) He is a liar and doesn't have a clue what he is saying. 2) I did read it to you 40 billion times and though I wanted to plunge sharp objects into my eyes at some points I would do it all over again.
13) You are more important than my phone and my computer. You have permission to call me on it if I am choosing one of them over you. (See #3)
14) There will be mean girls. You don't have to be one of them. That isn't a requirement of adolescents. Look for the weak and love them with abandon. 
15) You are not adopted. Your big toe and your cow lick should be constant reminders that you definitely belong to us.
16) Your parents are strange. There is no use hiding our crazy. You're a part of it. God has called us to a unique work and you're along for the bumpy and unusual ride. Congrats kid, you won the prize.
17) Never stop dancing. Never.
18) It is completely acceptable for your most numerous worldly possessions to be books. Make them quality books that fill you with awe and wonder. That means no Twilight.
19) There is no gift too small in the Kingdom of God. Figure out a way to use your everyday and what little you have to shine Jesus into the darkest corners of the world.
20) Men that seem dangerous are just that; dangerous. Yes, bad boys are indeed bad boys. Stay away from the intrigue. It leads nowhere good.
21) Go easy on the perfume. Nuf' said.
22) Listen to good music. Justin Bieber does not qualify. Nor does Ke$ha.
23) You don't have to outshine anyone else. (See #1) You are unique and you shine and reflect God uniquely. It isn't a competition.
24) You've got one heck of a Daddy. Handsome. Smart. Brave. Jesus-lovin'. Find a man like him and you'll be set.
25) You are unbelievably loved and wanted by the God of the universe. Let that awe you your whole life through.

Photo by Wiseman Photography

There are a few dozen more I could throw in, but instead I will offer a simple Happy Birthday to the girl who undid me and a heart of gratitude to the God who remakes us, in Christ, into something way better.