I happen to have responsibility as my #1 Strength according to Strength Finder 2.0, byTom Rath. However, what I did, long before I knew about Strength Finder, was to take on the responsibility of…
Think about the first time someone ever trusted you with a key. Perhaps you can remember the first time you…
The child still in the womb, was the example, blaring in my face, as the responsibility He was talking about. I realized, at that time, that taking care of a family is the biggest responsibility that we can be given as men. Yes, more than any job a man could possibly hold – the President of the United States of America should be a father first!
But some of the best time, was actually when it rained… it rained the day we got there (before anyone else – because I took the whole day off), and we sat in the tent and played cards. Saturday afternoon, we spent lunch eating hot dogs under a tree to avoid the rain – of course, we had our rain gear on, but it was really fun.
It was definitely something that she will remember, and she already talking about wanting to go back next year.
When we arrived at the pool, my daughter immediately got in, and I realized I had forgotten to bring a journal in which I had intended to do my daily study (still multitasking — guess not!). Upset by this, I dove into my book (pun intended), somewhat disgruntled… and only read two paragraphs. What I read was this:
Admitting when you are wrong not only gives your children permission to be wrong themselves, but it also teaches them how to be honest when they are!
The whole reason your children have parents is to help them work through the issues that God allows into their lives and to teach them to do the work themselves. Too often many parents, myself included, take it personally when their children act foolishly… Remember, they are children, foolishness is bound up in their heart. It is normal for a child to start out foolish, your job is to help them through it, not react to it.
Do your best to be an example to your children of how to overcome these temptations. This is how you can guide them to be men, or women, of God, treating others the way they want to be treated. This is how you equip your children to be poised to make a difference in this world. Much of the world that will surround them, by the time they become adults will behave in a manner contrary to these truths. It is your job, Dad, to set your children up for success.
My temper makes me unapproachable. It chips away at my credibility. It causes people to “walk on eggshells” when they are around me, so as to not step on a land mine that will set off an explosion of my temper. It causes my children to be hesitant to bring their concerns, their problems, and their crisis to me because they are not sure how I will “react.” This is the opposite of what we want as fathers.
Your kids will fail. Do you explode when they do? It’s important for them to know that they can talk to you when they fail. They will also speak to you inappropriately – they’re kids. I’m not saying allow them to do so, but don’t allow them to shape your attitude, based on their foolishness. Your job is to shape theirs.