What Nathanael Has Taught Me (On His Tenth Birthday)
If there has ever been a loving kid, it's Nathanael. Nathanael's name means "Gift of God," and it fits him so well. I always tell Nathanael he is my Barnabas. He is my son of encouragement.
Nathanael is always the one to give a second chance. He is always the one to forgive quickly. He does not hold grudges. In fact, Nathanael reminds me quite often that I need to stop holding onto irritation or anger. He reminds me with words such as, "Don't you think that would hurt their feelings?" or "Don't you think you should..." And I always tell him he is right. He's a good counselor.
I will probably never forget the time last summer he rescued an insect from a pond at the park. He was so excited when he saw another one. He tried to rescue it, too, but it had drowned already. He cried.
Even when he was little, he would carry buckets of dirt and worms and call them his babies. Now his baby is his cat. She is truly the love of his life. During his waking hours, Nathanael generally has a cat in his arms.
Nathanael's goal is to become a scientist that helps sick cats. He is passionate about studying DNA and genetics and infections and diseases. It would not surprise me at all if he fulfills this goal. He has the determination and, most importantly, the heart to do it.
Nathanael is truly the type of person that would give whatever he has (except for his cat) to make someone else happy. For the longest time, each week he would give some of his favorite toys to a friend whose mother had died. When I told him that was nice, but he did not have to do that; he replied, "I know. But I want to."
Nathanael is definitely my gift of God. I am so thankful for him and cannot wait to celebrate his big day today!
Nathanael is always the one to give a second chance. He is always the one to forgive quickly. He does not hold grudges. In fact, Nathanael reminds me quite often that I need to stop holding onto irritation or anger. He reminds me with words such as, "Don't you think that would hurt their feelings?" or "Don't you think you should..." And I always tell him he is right. He's a good counselor.
I will probably never forget the time last summer he rescued an insect from a pond at the park. He was so excited when he saw another one. He tried to rescue it, too, but it had drowned already. He cried.
Even when he was little, he would carry buckets of dirt and worms and call them his babies. Now his baby is his cat. She is truly the love of his life. During his waking hours, Nathanael generally has a cat in his arms.
Nathanael's goal is to become a scientist that helps sick cats. He is passionate about studying DNA and genetics and infections and diseases. It would not surprise me at all if he fulfills this goal. He has the determination and, most importantly, the heart to do it.
Nathanael is truly the type of person that would give whatever he has (except for his cat) to make someone else happy. For the longest time, each week he would give some of his favorite toys to a friend whose mother had died. When I told him that was nice, but he did not have to do that; he replied, "I know. But I want to."
Nathanael is definitely my gift of God. I am so thankful for him and cannot wait to celebrate his big day today!
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