Ok dads, if I were to ask you what a typical evening looked like at your home, could you give me a cohesive pattern? Or would it be more like survival mode as the onslaught of activities and hubbub produces a scene of controlled chaos? Perhaps your wife just got home from shopping and is putting away her items, your daughter is screaming from the other room that she has to be at volleyball practice in five minutes, and your son keeps calling and asking if he can bring a friend over for dinner.? On top of it all, Fido seems to be regurgitating some kind of insect he recently ate and the cat is now walking on three legs instead of four - never a good sign.
So have I described a typical evening at your household? Controlled chaos is a very easy family pattern to fall into. In fact, it's what will happen unless we take steps to avoid it. Now I cannot offer a panacea (ok, I just had to use that word at least once) as my family is certainly not modeled after Leave it to Beaver. But I do have one important suggestion I would like to offer - a family devotional time. This is a time set aside each night where all members of the family are required to be there. Of course, this isn't ironclad, but a general guideline. Then you as a father take the lead in sharing important things with your family. Because I and my family are people of faith, we usually read passages in Holy Scripture and pray together. Or sometimes I share my thoughts on certain historical events and what they should mean to us. The conversation surrounding Memorial Day last year was incredible. We may also talk about current events, peer pressure the kids are facing or how to look forward to an uncertain future with confidence.
I cannot emphasize enough how important this time is for my family. We've grown so much, had so many great conversations and learned from each other. Kids know the value you place on them by taking time out to instill in them lessons that will pay dividends forever. I've also had to grow as a man since I now have to "practice what I preach." If I'm going to emphasize the gravity of being loving and gracious, I'm going to have to walk the talk.
The sands of time in parenting disappear so quickly. One day we turn around and our kids are now parents themselves. And while we cannot stop the sands from flowing, we can direct them in a worthwhile direction. I beg you to seriously consider a family devotional time if you do not already have one. It will be the most important time you will ever spend in your lifetime.
If you've got some additional questions or thoughts about devotional time, please feel free to e-mail us at: bryan@familyfirst.net
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