At a time of the year when our time is taken with finding the perfect gift for everyone on our "list", and we have to clean the house for guests, put up all the decorations, bake the cookies, make the special dishes, and soooo many other things that are happening.....
We have to be extra careful to take TIME for those we love- all year long! Today I took a mile long walk with each of our children separately. It was simple.....just took some time. BUT today I got to have conversation- uninterrupted (which is a big deal in our home) with each of our children. Now I do take time with each of our children, but it is easily interrupted, or a teaching time (since we homeschool), or sometimes it just doesn't seem like enough.
Just like anything worth anything- it takes time! Our relationship with God - TAKES TIME, our relationship with a spouse - TAKES TIME, our relationship with our children - TAKES TIME!!! Each of these things are soo important to me. Sometimes I forget that I have to work at those relationships. Sometimes I take it for granted that they are always around me and I forget that I want to listen to them. Today we read about Bethan Lloyd-Jones...she was a wife of a preacher in England and was always available to people to listen and share the gospel (from the book 10 Girls Who Made A Difference).
I am so glad that I took that time. So are my children because they have talked to me about it afterwards. Daddy also took time with each of them today to make our Sand Dollar ornaments. We had gotten Sand Dollars in Florida and he took time to decorate them with the kids.
You know it really is great to hear them- I mean really hear them. To study them. To know what they like or don't like. To listen to questions they have. To hold their hands, and look into their eyes.
I would encourage you to put time and effort into your most important relationships this season.....and year long. It DOES NOT take money- it DOES take TIME!!!! Your kids will not probably remember the "perfect gift" you gave them, but they will remember the time you spent listening to them, talking with them, and getting to know them, teaching them, and just sharing with them about who you are.
I love that! Thank you for sharing! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for the reminder! I needed to hear that and if you can do it, I can surely do it with my 3!
ReplyDeleteDawn, this is one of the best blog posts I've read in a while, and very close to my heart. I also spent time with each of my children, and now I'm so glad I did, as they are gone most of the time now. I hope it impacted them, but I know it impacted me to really get to know them, and like you mentioned study them. Great post my friend and very timely! Hope all is well with you guys, it sure looks like it! Love!
ReplyDeleteThanks Dawn. I remember learning this lesson the hard way last year...I spent so much time shopping for that "perfect gift," like you said, that the season was gone...this year we are doing read-a-louds and eating lots of popcorn and baking together and doing crafts, etc. I spent a couple mornings before the kids woke up shopping online, a few hours one day picking up little things, and am just taking TIME now to be with those I love...THIS is soooooooooooooo much better! I hope your post helps others learn this lesson the easy way.
ReplyDeleteThanks for 'taking the time' to share this post. So true. :-) Enjoying those great pics of yours, too. By the way, where are the pics of the sand dollar ornaments? :-D
ReplyDeleteGreat post... a great reminder.
ReplyDeleteWhat a gift you give your children with TIME! I think this is one of my favorite things about home schooling - having TIME to do meaningful and important things with my children. Blessings, Jennifer
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Dawn!! I just did one on traditions--wish I could remember the quote from a book of ours that I put in--something about our families being like a tapestry and the thread that holds it together is time. My advice to families: Use your time wisely in sharing and building one another up!! What a special family you have!
ReplyDeleteExcellent thought -- especially during this very BUSY season of the year.
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