On Miles's Seventh Birthday

Abba, Father, thank you for my grandson,
Miles Jacob Hostetler, who turns seven years old today.

Thank you for all you have made him to be:
healthy, strong, charming, sweet, sensitive, smart, wonderful.

Thank you for all you have given him:
caring, wise, attentive, loving parents,
a sister who loves him and will even say so,
a family that loves to be around him and spend time with him,
an active and brilliant mind,
a fascination with bugs and beasts and birds,
and even a new home and school and church in California.

Thank you that he's so great as to make missing him so hard.
Thank you that he's growing so fast and learning so much
as to make me insanely jealous of those who now get to watch it happen day by day and week by week.
Thank you that for the first seven years of his life I got to see him so often, almost daily at times.
Thank you that we got to have an early birthday celebration before he and his family left for California.
And thank you that even with two thousand miles of distance between us now, we have things like FaceTime and airplanes to make the distance disappear sometimes.

Please bless him mightily on his birthday, and on every day that follows it.
Please shine on him, smile on him, and slather him with your favor.
Please preserve his sweetness even as he grows up.
Please continue healing his eyes and eyesight.
Please give him a great start in his new home, neighborhood, church, and school.
Please grant that he may grow in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
Please draw him and keep him close to you,
and grant his every need
and make his dreams come true,
in Jesus' name, amen.

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