18 things I want my niece or nephew to know

Today at church we had a baptism and it had me longing for the day when I would get to see my little niece or nephew for the first time. When he or she is born these are the things that I want them to know. I'd like it if I was the one to teach them, but if I'm not that's okay. :)

1. You Are Oh So VERY LOVED!

2. You are a Unique Child of God and He loves you very much!
3. You are NEVER alone.

4. Receive thankfully and give graciously.

5. Never change for ANYBODY EXCEPT YOURSELF, and make sure it's a change of IMPROVEMENT.

6. You are here for a reason, though sometimes that reason may not always seem very clear.

7. Don't be like your Aunt Liz and hold on to your anger. Be quick to forgive (I know this one will be tough).

8. Don't give up doing something that you love just because somebody tells you to, they say you're not good enough, or they tell you there's something better, or you have more important obligations. Live your passion.

9. Respect your parents. I know there will be times that you will not be able to stand the sight of them, but they love you so much, and being a parent is one of the toughest things you can be (though I believe being a child is no walk in the park either).

10. NEVER give up HOPE. God is ALWAYS looking out for you and HE is in control.

11. Live by your standards and nobody else's (as a Christian there will be times when this is difficult).

12. Take pride in your accomplishments.

13. Don't be afraid to leave home to follow your dreams.

14. There's a reason for EVERYTHING. It just takes us a little while to figure it all out.

15. Tell the truth. LIES EAT YOU ALIVE! And it's just the moral thing to do.

16. Don't use foul language. It just makes you sound stupid with a weak vocabulary.

17. Your story is God's story, so don't ever be afraid to share it.

And lastly...I'm sure Gamma Troup will be the one to teach you this...
18. Treat others as you would like to be treated. You don't know everybody's story and not everybody will know your story. Believe me, this one will take time. Be patient.

I can't wait to meet you little one!

                                                  7 months and counting...