Happy 19th Birthday Timo!

 19 years ago tomorrow I went to CDH to deliver our 3rd child. I didn't know then that we would go on to have 2 more babies. I was 29 years old and crossing that bridge where parents are outnumbered by children. I can't say I knew what we were getting into. It was a tumultuous time in our lives (I'm guessing that is more of a normal thing for the Logan family than for most!). Sam was still in grad school - having completed his first year, and was working odd jobs over the summer to support us. Throughout that hot and humid August, I was great with child, and fairly exhausted keeping up with a 5 year old Caleb and 3 year old Priscilla. They were ready and eager to greet their little brother, waiting with all the wonder and excitement a 5 and 3 year-old can muster.

  At his high school graduation a year ago, I stood up to deliver this speech, which was in the form of a letter to my son:

Dear Timothy Sheldon Logan,

18 years ago I was just beginning the 3rd and final trimester of my 3rd pregnancy. It's hard to imagine my life before you - or any of my children - existed. I can never un-know, un-see, or un-experience these past 18 years.

Daddy and I had discussed what we should name you. We prayed that God would help us to name you well - according to who you truly are. Of course we couldn't know exactly who you were or would become. Yet I believe He gave us the perfect name for you: Timothy Sheldon Logan.

The name Timothy is unique to you in that it is not a repeated family name - as in, naming you after a relative. We did want you to find your name in the Bible - and we wanted to give you a person to aspire to emulate - and Timothy has 2 whole books out of the 66 books of the Bible - named for him. But more than having 2 books with your name on them, we deeply longed that you would live up to what your name means. It is from the Greek. "Timo-theo" - "Time/Timo" means to honour. And "Theo" means "God." But even more than this, the nuanced meaning of "Timo" is very fitting for who you are. This word for 'honour' in the Greek was a financial or monetary word. To honour included a notion of payment or money. 

I can tell you have taken to your name quite well because you deeply value honour - not only for yourself, but for our country, which I see in your patriotism and love of the U.S. flag, and in celebrating our country's freedoms on the 4th of July. You value honour for your family in our our lawn is kept and how tidy your siblings dress (which sometimes may not meet your standards!)

But let me tell you how this word "honour" was used in a financial sense. In old Greek records they would find an entry called "time" (said, "tee-may") and it seemed to act as a kind of tip for merchants. When a festival or feast day came around and you went to market to buy flour, the merchant would weigh it and if you often did business with him, and you liked him, and wanted to gift him a little extra, when he heaped the flour on the scale, you might put your thumb on it to make it weigh more, so you'd pay more - as a way to tip or gift him - or honour him. This "weighing the scale heavy" is what the word "Timo/Time" means - to give extra worth or value to something.

God tells children to honour their parents. Is it because we deserve it? It might not be. We have not always deserved to be honoured. But God asks children to put their thumb on the scale that weighs how valuable their arents are, and add weight, value, cost - yes, honour - to the scale.

I see you do this when I have treated you poorly or unfairly and you have chosen to let it go, to continue to relate to me, to forgive me, even when I don't deserve it. You have honoured me by cleaning my floors when you were little, mowing the lawn, taking out trash: serving in so many ways both big and small. I'm grateful for the many ways you have chosen to honour me. 

But 'honour' is only half your name. The 2nd half is "Theo" or "God". Your name is a calling: To Honour God.  I saw this clearly in your life 5 years ago when you decided to get baptized. You were confident and sure of your Christian faith and commitment and sought the opportunity to get dunked in a swimming pool not far from here.

I would be leaving something out if I stopped here with your name. Because, while I want you to be one who honours God with your life, and that is up to you, I want to point you to a particular verse where God makes a bold promise to honour us! How would you like to BE the one who receives honour from the God Who made the whole universe?! Imagine receiving an award, a prize, a monetary bonus for something you did - an award given by a celebrity, institution, or successful CEO? Wouldn't you feel so honoured? Well, God is greater, more famous, more wealthy, more powerful than any of those and this is His promise to us: "Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, my servant will also be. My Father will honour the one who serves Me." (John 12:26) If you live your life serving the Lord, He promises to honour you!

Do you remember praying for missionaries and all the countries around the world when you were little? You were often the one to remind us after family Bible reading to not forget to read Window on the World, and to pray for the particular needs of various places. Back then you already had a compassionate heart to be aware of and pray for those who had great needs.  I love that from a very young age, you were seeking to honour and serve the Lord by paying attention to the world of missions and the kingdom of God throughout the (very round!) globe.

  Someday, I hope you will fulfill God's purpose for you, that you would live to serve and honour Him in all your endeavours. Let me highlight qualities I see in you and want to urge you to cultivate in your life. I'll use the letters of your name to do this:

T - Treasure 

  Timo, you are a treasure. And you will have treasures in life - some you will gain, some you will lose. Will you be willing to place all your treasure - all you are and have into the safe and loving hands of God?

I - Invest

  Where and how will you invest your resources - not only money, but strength, effort, focus, time? Will you be generous to invest in serving others with the treasures God gives?

M - Mercy

   "Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy." Timo, God showed you incredible mercy when He spared your life 10 months ago. When your body flew through the air at 50mph, you thought your life was over. All who heard about it were amazed not only that you lived, but also that you are talking, walking, and healed, sitting here today. God has had abundant mercy on you. Will you extend mercy to others as a way to recognize and honour God's kindness to you?

O - Own

  I ask that you will own when you've messed up - your mistakes, failures, poor choices. And I ask you to own and steward your gifts. Place all the learning, knowledge, and skills, in the Master's hands. Throw in a little discipline, and see what increase might come? You might be surprised!

T - Truth

  Tell the truth. This means no more: "I'm pretty sure I went to church last week..." It's in the Bible! "Do not lie to each other since you have put off the old self with its practices." Not only are we called to be truth-tellers to others, but tell the truth to yourself. Jesus said, "You will know the truth and the truth shall make you free." You love freedom? Seek to know the truth - the truth of yourself and those around you. 

H - Honour

  That's what this whole letter has been about: Give God weight in your life - valuable, costly weight.

Y - Yearn

  Learn to cultivate deep longing - yearning for God, His word, His people, His kingdom.

I have acronyms for SHELDON and LOGAN, but that might take all day :D Maybe that will be for your next graduation!

In closing, I want to leave you with 3 portions of Scripture: A verse. A chapter. A Prayer. 

The verse I chose for you is John 12:26, which I mentioned earlier. The chapter I chose is Psalm 62. The prayer I've chosen is 1 Chronicles 20:10-19.

I decided that each of my kids needs their own book - in your case, both 1st and 2nd Timothy. And each of my kids needs their own special verse, chapter and prayer in Scripture. And I chose Psalm 62 to be your chapter. See verse 7: "My salvation and my honour depends on God." The whole chapter has great wisdom for your life. If you'll let me, I'd love to do an in-depth study on it with you!

And I'll conclude with this prayer from 1 Chronicles:

 "Praise be to YOU, O Lord, from everlasting...

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness 

and the power,

and the Glory, 

and the Majesty, 

and the Splendour,

  for everything in heaven and earth is Yours.

Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom...wealth and HONOUR come from You;

You are the Ruler of ALL things.

In YOUR hands are strength and power

To exalt and give strength to all..."

Timo, you are all about honour, power, strength, wealth, and greatness. And these ALL belong to the God Who made you.  Seek Him first, and all these other things you'll discover along the way of knowing Him, serving Him, honouring Him, and giving Him all you are and have. 

He loves you so much.

We are proud of the amazing young man you are.

Thank you for honouring us these 17 years.

We love you,

love Mommy and Daddy