I Have a Dream

(Originally posted 1/20/2009)

Jackson's class has been studying Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his dream. (*side note. Does it drive anyone else crazy when someone calls him Martin Luther King?) Anyway. The kids were given the assignment of writing a letter to their teacher talking about their own dreams.

And then, the teacher assigned the parents the greatest assignment I've ever been given as a parent. We were tasked with writing a letter to our children about our dreams for them.

So Carissa and I, late last night, sat down to write a letter to our oldest son explaining our dreams for his future. It was something that I thought wouldn't mean much, really. After all, this was just a school assignment, right? Wrong.

As we wrote the letter, all of the (for lack of a better word) crap that goes along with being the parent of an 8 year old boy disappeared. I wasn't concerned about the attitude, the eye rolls, the sarcasm. All I was concerned with was Jackson's future, and where I hope...no, scratch that. Where I know he can go and what he can accomplish.

As we wrote the letter, I was reminded of my call as a father, my responsiblity as a parent. And it made me reflect on my heavenly Father's role as the dreamer in my life.

God puts up with a lot of (for lack of a better word) crap from me. But He never, ever stops dreaming for me. I hope the same goes for me. I hope I never stop dreaming for Jackson. And I pray he never stops dreaming for himself.