Ridgell's Originals

 So today my son Joe Don turns 43.  Here are a few of the reasons I love him and am proud of him.  

He is so intentional about his faith, his marriage, and his kids.  Jesus is the center of his life and he leads his family on their faith journey.  

He is really good at spiritual advice and counsel.  Friends seek him out for advice.  That is a rare gift.

Loves his extended family.  Not just Jamie and the kids, but us and his in-laws.  Loves his siblings and his nieces and nephews.  Cousins.  His grandmother.  Aunts and uncles.  

Gives himself up for others.  Now it helps when your boys and you Dad love sports and the outdoors, but he does not do very many things for himself.  And he genuinely does not see that as sacrifice.

Loves Jamie.  No question and everyone knows it.  

He is a very successful attorney, but his career is one of the last things I think about when I see him.  That speaks well of him.

I continually run into people who know him and without fail they speak about the kind of man he is, the things he has done for them, or the way he influenced their kids. Marsha and I are thankful that we never have to hesitate when talking about our kids, and that includes Joe Don's wife Jamie.  Never have to worry about what people think of them.

Every Dad wants his son to become a better man that he is.  Mission accomplished.

Just as special, he is actually raising his sons to be just as good a man as he is.  And showing his daughter the kind of man she wants to marry someday.

So God, thanks for my son JD.  I love him and am proud of him and I know you are too.  Bless him.  Continue to do Kingdom things with him and thru him.  Protect him.  Because of Jesus.

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM