Time Together
To celebrate my brother's birthday this year, my family took a mini-vacation with my brother's family and our parents to a nearby resort. It was nice to have an enjoyable weekend getaway. It was great not to have to cook, clean, or worry about timetables. Instead, we visited local restaurants, went swimming in the pool, played games, stayed up late watching movies, slept-in, and trekked all over with the kids (all of them are age 10 and under). We had non-stop fun from the time we woke up until we went to bed each night. In the midst of our stressful, hectic lives, we took time to disconnect from external demands and reconnect with one another. Admittedly, the adults didn't get to have as much conversation as we might have liked, but we had a great time anyway. We made memories: memories of playtime together, dinnertime together, relaxation-time together, family-time together.
There was one moment, though, that really has me thinking tonight. In the midst of frolic and play in the swimming pool, my daughter stopped playing with her cousins and asked for some time alone with me. I asked her whether she was sure that she didn't want to keep playing with her cousins. She said, "No, I just want a few minutes alone with my daddy." I agreed, and we ventured off for a little while together. We chatted away the entire time. I listened and loved every minute of it.
In reflection, I got to wondering what had prompted her to "press the pause button" on playtime to ask for some time alone with me. When we arrived at home, I discovered what was going on in her head; my daughter told me that since we didn't go out on a "daddy-daughter date" during the week, she was missing "alone-time" with her daddy. You see, every week, my wife and I both try to do something special with each of our children individually so that we have "quality and quantity time together" (as my former pastor used to say), whether it's going to dinner, or seeing a movie, or shopping, or building a project, or whatever. The important thing is that we're each spending undisturbed time together with each of the children.
I learned this life-lesson from my brother. He and his wife had three girls before my kids were born. For many years, I have watched the marvelous effect that one-on-one attention has had on them. My nieces really look forward to it, and it shows them that their parents value relationship with them enough to prioritize them. It also demonstrates to their girls that they can have their own individual, unique relationships with their parents. Watching my brother spending time alone with each of his children brought back many of my favorite memories growing up, and I realized that some of my fondest recollections of childhood were those of one-on-one time with my parents and with my brother. Now that I have my own kids, I am trying to provide the same one-on-one time for them.
So, why does this have me thinking tonight?
I'm wondering about those times in life when everything is hectic and crazy, and I "press the pause button" to ask God for a few minutes of alone time with my Heavenly Daddy, especially when I am missing our special time together. I wonder if He feels the same way that I did when my daughter asked for a few minutes alone with her daddy, whether God loves every minute of time with me? I think the answer has to be "yes" because we humans were made in His image.
And, I doubt that God cares whether I am down on my knees, or sitting at a stoplight, or rocking in my reading-chair, or taking an early-morning jog.
In fact, I doubt that the time or place matter much to a good and gracious God. The important thing to Him is that we're spending undisturbed time together ... just me and my Heavenly Daddy who cares about me ... and you ... and all of His children more than we will ever know.
There was one moment, though, that really has me thinking tonight. In the midst of frolic and play in the swimming pool, my daughter stopped playing with her cousins and asked for some time alone with me. I asked her whether she was sure that she didn't want to keep playing with her cousins. She said, "No, I just want a few minutes alone with my daddy." I agreed, and we ventured off for a little while together. We chatted away the entire time. I listened and loved every minute of it.
In reflection, I got to wondering what had prompted her to "press the pause button" on playtime to ask for some time alone with me. When we arrived at home, I discovered what was going on in her head; my daughter told me that since we didn't go out on a "daddy-daughter date" during the week, she was missing "alone-time" with her daddy. You see, every week, my wife and I both try to do something special with each of our children individually so that we have "quality and quantity time together" (as my former pastor used to say), whether it's going to dinner, or seeing a movie, or shopping, or building a project, or whatever. The important thing is that we're each spending undisturbed time together with each of the children.
I learned this life-lesson from my brother. He and his wife had three girls before my kids were born. For many years, I have watched the marvelous effect that one-on-one attention has had on them. My nieces really look forward to it, and it shows them that their parents value relationship with them enough to prioritize them. It also demonstrates to their girls that they can have their own individual, unique relationships with their parents. Watching my brother spending time alone with each of his children brought back many of my favorite memories growing up, and I realized that some of my fondest recollections of childhood were those of one-on-one time with my parents and with my brother. Now that I have my own kids, I am trying to provide the same one-on-one time for them.
So, why does this have me thinking tonight?
I'm wondering about those times in life when everything is hectic and crazy, and I "press the pause button" to ask God for a few minutes of alone time with my Heavenly Daddy, especially when I am missing our special time together. I wonder if He feels the same way that I did when my daughter asked for a few minutes alone with her daddy, whether God loves every minute of time with me? I think the answer has to be "yes" because we humans were made in His image.
And, I doubt that God cares whether I am down on my knees, or sitting at a stoplight, or rocking in my reading-chair, or taking an early-morning jog.
In fact, I doubt that the time or place matter much to a good and gracious God. The important thing to Him is that we're spending undisturbed time together ... just me and my Heavenly Daddy who cares about me ... and you ... and all of His children more than we will ever know.
Danny,
ReplyDeleteI love this post. It brought me to tears thinking about how special that is to spend time with your kids. Their are so many times that i don't hit the " Pause Button" when I should have. Your post has made me rethink things and Incorporate that into my families life. I think that will build mine and Skylars bond. Thanks so much for the Inspiration.