Family

Recently a friend and I were sharing breakfast and the subject of par enting came up. He was imagining what my children will grow up to be like and reflecting on the way his parents influenced the way he interacts with the world as an adult. It was a mostly shallow, fun discussion, but it got me to really thinking about family.

Oftentimes we look at those around us and form opinions about their behavior, worldview, and choices with no real knowledge of their background. We look at the outside, present day them and have no way of knowing anything about the path that led them to where they are.

The truth is, nothing happens in a vacuum.

The more I thought about that truth, the heavier this task of being a parent became

to me. These three little people that I brought into the world will one day be adults that make big and small choices; they’ll head down a path of their own, but I was hit square in the face with the fact that the choices I make today will have an impact on generations to come. I thought about my own family. I thought about my parents and siblings. I thought about my aunts and uncles. I thought about the churches I’ve been in with each member of my family over my life and how each of those experiences made me the person I am today, for better or worse.

When I got up from the table I thought about each of my children. I thought about what they have already experienced in life. I smiled thinking of the people they already are and said a little prayer that when they’re my age, they’ll reflect back on all of the influences they’ve had and be as proud as I am.

Being a parent isn’t an easy task; it’s scary, heavy, and daunting. But it’s worth it all when you pull into the driveway, walk up to the door, and hear voices on the other side screaming, “Daddy’s home!”