A Pastor’s Perspective 10-12-2021

It’s tough being a kid today, isn’t it?  My kids encountered and processed things in middle school that I faced in high school.   My grandkids are having to process things in grade school their parents did in middle school.   I say again, “It’s tough being a kid today.”    Because it’s tough being a kid, parenting is even a bigger challenge today.   Parents, they’re always our kids, aren’t they?   Whether they’re 5 or 55, we worry about them, pray for them, counsel them (even when not desired) and hope for them.

Last night I was privileged to join some “younger” parents for a seminar led by Chris Sasser.  Chris spoke about the “baggage” he’s heard engaged couples speak of that they carry into their marriage.   As a parent of girls who have kids of their own now, I pondered what “baggage” they may have picked up under our roof and carried into their marriage.    While the seminar was meant to educate and prepare “us” to be parents who help prepare our kids emotionally, spiritually, intellectually and relationally to face the world; it was also a reminder that we aren’t perfect and neither are our kids.  Only Christ is perfect.

Much was gained in our 4 hours together.    Parenting is a balancing act between teaching responsibility, accountability, consequences, praising, protecting, having the guts to let our kids learn through failures, helping, pushing, encouraging, hugging, giving space and spending time on their time, not our own.

The point Chris made about “spending time on their time, not our own” really stuck with me.   For many of us, QUALITY TIME is our love language.  Time is given when we need it, though often not convenient to the one we wish to grant it.

This week, give someone (spouse, child, friend) you love your time when it’s not necessarily convenient to you.   Give it when they need it, not when you have it to spare.  That’s when your gift of time is a greater gift of love.

Your Travel Partner Through This World,

Bruce