18,350

My life changed dramatically exactly 18,350 days ago. It is a day forever etched in my mind. A day when God touched my life in such a tangible way I would never be the same. NEVER!

On that day 18,350 days ago God placed a miracle in my hands. On that day in a hospital back in East Texas God placed Taylor Madison Edwards into my arms for the first time. I still cannot believe when God was searching for that little baby's daddy God chose me. I loved him before I ever held that little baby boy but on that day when the nurse placed him into my arms I loved him more.

When they took his measurements the doctor walked over to the window where i was standing and said, "Big paws mean a big dog." Taylor came into the world weighing over eight pounds. Today he tips the scale at 200 pounds ripping with muscle.

Ove the years my bond with Taylor increased. I used to pull him around in a wagon on the grounds of the first church I served as pastor. He used to fall asleep on my chest. One of my favorite pictures is one Brenda took when he was asleep in my arms and I had drifted off to sleep as well.

I do not have any memories of a father as little boy in my life and I determined early on Taylor would never know how that felt. Over and over again I told him I loved him. I also told him as a little boy before he would go to bed that God had great and special plans for him. Before tucking him in with a prayer I told him repeatedly that I could not believe out of all the daddies in the world that God chose me to be his daddy because he was a special boy that needed a special daddy.

Over the years his natural bent for sports made my heart swell with pride. When we played basketball in the driveway we always played to fifteen by ones. I used to get a huge lead on him just to see if he would quit and give up. HE NEVER DID and I would let him beat me as long as he kept working on defense. He did not quit then and he does not quit now.

In time other brothers were added to the family. On the night before Tanner was born I held Taylor in my arms on our bed kneeling in prayer. I did not see how in the world I could ever love another son as much as I loved Taylor. In ways only God can do He created new space in my heart to love each successive son just as much as I loved Taylor. Taylor did not take the addition of a new brother well at first. He was a jealous older brother. In time jealousy turned into pride as he took on the role of protector of his younger brother.

We moved several times over the years. Taylor's passion for sports never waned. While playing tee-ball one year we have a video of him standing on the pitcher's mound pounding his fist in his glove waiting on the batter to hit the ball. A runner tried to make it home after the hit. Taylor scooped the ball in his glove ran home tagging the little girl knocking her to the ground. That competitive spirit was there even back then.

He cried one day when I told him he needed to narrow down the sports he played. When I asked him why he cried he told me with tear stained cheeks that he could not pick just a few sports because he loved them all.

I taught him over the years to play for God's glory and trust God to help him perform on the field. We developed the routine of working out together that we still keep to this day. I was there when he lifted 100, 200, 300, and 400 pounds for the first time.

I've sat back and admired his tenacity and his drive to achieve his dreams. He dreamed of playing football in college and tomorrow God is allowing that dream to come true at the very college where I played football and met his mother.

Tomorrow morning before the sun comes up we will drive him to Howard Payne University and move him onto the fourth floor of Jennings Hall (the same dorm I resided in during my college days.) We went through the pomp and circumstance of High School graduation. We have worked hard mowing yards and pushing weights to get him ready for Yellow Jacket football.

While driving home from a day at the movies last weekend Taylor told me, "I am game ready." When I persisted in asking what he meant he explained that spiritually, emotionally, and physically he is ready to take this next step in his journey with God and on the football field. He dreams of being a coach and history teacher in large part due to the influence of some coaches in his life.

He has helped me the past two weeks with Turner's little team football practice. Each night I give them a devotion after practice. Last night I asked Taylor to do it. In that moment I saw my son as a man and in his God ordained role as a coach. He is no longer my little boy riding his bike for the first time without his training wheels. He is no longer that little boy standing on the pitcher's mound pounding his glove. He is a man deeply in love with Jesus and fiercely determined to excel on the field. He has traded in the green white for the Paradise Panthers for the blue and gold of the Howard Payne Yellow Jackets.

I will enjoy this last day with him. God willing we will have our last summer work out. We will eat breakfast at our favorite cafe. We will enjoy a family meal at his favorite Mexican restaurant later tonight. Tanner and Tucker will spend the night with friends as they are in the middle of two a day football practices and cannot go with us. My life changed 18,350 days ago. I have worked to give that little baby boy and his bothers my best. Though sad I am also proud to watch Taylor walking into His God ordained destiny.