We carried them.
Then they began to wobble forward.
Next, they grabbed our hands as we ran together.
Now – they run ahead.
It can be easy to feel like my job is done, but any parent will be quick to remind – we’ve still only just begun. Walking is not the goal…just another part of the journey. I love to watch them wander through the woods. To watch them play, and see the sparks of wonder inspire flames of imagination. It’s fulfilling, to offer them the ability to lead as we take to the forest, and see them choose paths both winding and well-defined.
There are so many pressures today to grow the next generation of world-changers. To mold them into products that are marketable on the future economies of skill and value competitions. To form them into athletic renaissance machines that can out-perform the others and shine in ways that obviously deserve scholarship money.
I’ll confess – I’m not immune to this. Even in realms of spiritual maturity, there are major parts of me that want my kids to shine with the love of Jesus. Not for healthy reasons, but to show the world – here, is a product I’ve helped create and offer my fellow humanity as proof of my/our worth.
So every once in a while, on purpose, I slow down. I watch. I absorb their wonder. I stop measuring things and start inefficiently using time with them. Another confession – I don’t do this enough. I’m busy. I’m a student. I’m a pastor. I’m a husband. I’m a ________.
All of that to say – I hadn’t said anything much about parenting in a while, and this was originally a parenting blog. 🙂 So I figured I would remind the reader – I’m still a parent. I’m not winning any awards, but my kids seem to be increasing in love. My wife and better half probably deserves a TON of that credit, as she gets the most time at home with them. But I’ll take a little. And I’ll watch them run ahead with her, and pause to be thankful for it all..
words from wick 