Every father has a soft spot for his daughter. It doesn’t matter if she is three or thirty-three. The Schull girls are especially cherished by their pop. As a Dad – I get the privilege of investing into my kids – just like you…
Recently on a daddy/daughter date with my 3-year-old, I was reminded of some simple parenting lessons. I’ll admit – sometimes these lessons drift off my radar screen, but on this day they were thrust back front and center. I’m still learning, just like you.
Calista and I spent the day together ~ here’s the observations that struck me…
1. Questions?… She feels totally at ease to ask me any question – and I mean there is NO shortage of questions. At times, that barrage of inquisitiveness can become frustrating, but I need reminded – those questions are gifts. It’s a gift that my little girl looks to me for answers, advice and input. She feels totally comfortable to ask me for it. She trusts me. The spiritual implication that struck me is: do I feel totally at ease asking God? Is He the first one I look to for answers and advice? How’s your trust level with God?
2. Innovation comes pre-wired within children. Sticks become microphones and playground equipment can instantly become an ice cream store. Often as we get older ~ we lose our imagination, our drift toward innovation and settle for the status-quo. When it comes to our spiritual journey ~ have we lost our ability to imagine all of what God can do – how He can use us to impact our world? How’s your creativity & imagination? I love what the Apostle Paul says in Ephesians about God’s imagination. May we dream bigger!
3. Listening. I’ve always heard “you have 2 ears and only 1 mouth“. We live in a culture that speaks a lot, but listens less. Have you ever had that moment: you know the one – the moment your child has repeated your name 5-8 times to get your attention? Been there. Listening is what draws relationships closer – knits hearts together. James reminds us that ‘everyone should be quick to listen and slow to speak’ (James 1:19). As I practice intentional listening to Cali – it binds us together. Question is: how quick am I to listen for God’s voice? How about you?
4. Enter their world. That day I got to do something I rarely do. I got to paint Cali’s nails. Now, that is not something I do all the time. In fact I had different plans in that moment of what we’d do – but it was significant & special to her. I had to leave my world and enter hers. Isn’t that what the Incarnation is all about? God didn’t think that a reconciled relationship with humanity was something we could figure out – so He entered in. Still does. Have you stopped long enough to become aware again of His presence? Thank Him for being in your world. As a parent – how quick are we to enter into our children’s world? It takes time, imagination, listening and even questions.
KEEP LEARNING.
What’s 1 parenting lesson you’ve learned recently?