I find myself once again sitting at this computer scratching my head and wondering how yet another year has come and gone. And as much as I feel like I could be sad in saying goodbye to another year, I can't help getting a gigantic smile on my face and rejoicing in how delightful it is to watch you grow. I don't know how, but it almost seems that each year gets better than the last! Even when I cannot comprehend how I could possibly love you anymore, you reveal another aspect of your wonderful personality, your tender heart, and your tenacious spirit, and my love grows. You are simply an incredible little boy. I have no doubt that Jesus has a grand plan for your life. Your uniquely crafted personality - filled with amazing organization, a crazy good memory, love for math, and interest in creating new things coupled with an innate leadership ability and irresistible passion for people - draws people to who you are and ultimately points them directly to Jesus. This year it has almost seemed as though you are a sponge that only continues to expand and soak up information and the world around you. How did I get so lucky? I am positive that this parenting adventure will eventually run into some rough terrain but right now I'm just basking in the wonder of learning about how deep, how wide, and how expansive the love of Jesus is through you, my precious son. Without knowing it, and simply by being you, you have given me an entirely new and undiscovered understanding of my Creator. Because of you Zack, I know that there are absolutely no boundaries or limitations on love. Its absolutely unconditional, self sacrificing, and incredibly beautiful. Seven years ago today, you began to reveal Jesus to me and have done so every single day since then. Zack, I know without a shadow of a doubt, that you will change the world. You will lead people to Jesus. You will invent. You will create. And you will deeply love and be loved in return. And I am your biggest fan and will be cheering you on as I get a front row seat to the greatest production ever created. You are a treasure.
This past year has been jam packed full of new adventures! We went to visit Grammy in California which was an absolute blast - complete with hammocking, train rides, bubble making, and TONS of swimming! We traveled to Whistler in July to watch Dad compete in his first ever Ironman triathlon. You and Hallie were troopers all day and we cheered like crazy as he crossed that finish line in 12:25. Then shortly after school started, we ventured down to Disneyland and what you told me earlier was your very favorite part of being 6! I'm pretty sure that going on the ride Star Tours started your crazy love for all things Star Wars. And of course you left Disneyland with TONS of Star Wars gear thanks to your Nana! And oh my, this Star Wars love is still going very strong! Your birthday party that we celebrated just the other day was a Star Wars theme with an epic Jedi battle. And, I'm pretty sure we have almost every light saber, costume, and figurine that they sell in stores. You have also started planning our next trip back to Disneyland because they are opening Star Wars land and we MUST GO! Every trip - and life in general - is just so much more fun with you in it!
You also dominated in your sports this past year! You continued to play soccer and learned that you love playing keeper. It was so much fun to watch you have such a great time! Then basketball season started. In addition to being the tallest kid on your team, you learned that you could just about be the most aggressive. You were stealing balls, dribbling, scoring, and rebounding like CRAZY! It was always your job to defend their tallest and best player because you could shut them down! And Dad and I LOVED watching you! And, you just started your first season of track! You will be running the 100M, 400M and doing long jump in your first meet this coming Saturday. We can't wait and again, we are SO very proud of you!
At school, you have also been rocking it!!! You are now finishing up first grade in the TEAM program at Silver Ridge Elementary. And you absolutely LOVE it! On your last report card, in addition to all kinds of other heart warming comments, your teacher (Mrs. Rust) wrapped it up by thanking Dad and me for sharing you with her everyday. You are a delight. You just took a national test (the STAR test) and ranked 96% nationally for math and 98% nationally for reading. Dad and I were blown away, but certainly not surprised. Your learning has increased by leaps and bounds this year and I think you are becoming unstoppable as you gain confidence and momentum. You love math and finish your homework in a matter of minutes each night. You have transitioned from simple books to absolutely any book you choose (even including your first chapter book - Above All Else by our friend Bryan Lindgren)! You can compute complicated math problems in your head and your comprehension and memory has just about surpassed mine! We are incredibly proud of you!
Zack Pentz, today on your 7th birthday, I pray this again over your life...
Lord, thank you for the precious gift and miracle you have blessed us with in giving us Zack. I pray that you would raise Zack up to be a Mighty Man of God and a warrior for your kingdom. That he would love and serve you and love and serve your people and honor and obey us as his parents. And Lord, that you would give us great wisdom to be parents worthy of his love, honor, obedience, and respect! God I pray that Zack would be a man of integrity and great character. That he would be strong and courageous. That he would tenaciously seek you and your will, but that his heart would be tender in the pursuit of your people. Lord, I pray that your grace and mercy would pour out over his life and that he would accept your amazing gift of forgiveness, every single day. And please work in our hearts to never take this weight of parenting lightly. Lord, we are raising your precious child. He is not ours, he is a child of the Most High God. You have created every speck of sand on the shore, every star in the sky, and know every hair on his head...he is yours. But thank you so much for giving us the amazing opportunity to be his parents and love him every day of his life. Lord I pray that you would protect him from injury, disease, and illness. Protect his heart from heartache. And Lord, please help me to be his greatest fan and encourager. This year I watched him run down the pathway to elementary school...and before I know it, he will be off to Jr. High...and High School! All too soon I will hear Zachariah David Pentz announced as he walks across the platform and is handed his diploma. Lord, I pray even now for Zack's future spouse. I pray that Zack would lay his life down for her as you did for your church. And on that day, on that alter, you would join them together forever in a union that only you could create. Man, it makes my heart happy to think about the day that Zack will hold his baby and gaze into its face just the way that I did seven years ago today. God, shape him and form him into the Man of God that you have called him to be.
AMEN!
My sweetest little man, I am blown away every single day at the person that you are becoming. It is with amazing honor and delight that I get to call you my son. You are one incredible little boy. Keep up the good work, my son. I love you to the moon and back...
Love,
Mom
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