It's a little less than 6 months away. Hard to believe but it's coming and I can't fight it. I'm not afraid of it. I'm not intimidated. I actually am kind of excited which is rather warped if you want to know the truth but I can't stop it so why not embrace it.
"IT"? My 50Th birthday. Yep. Crazy, I know. Except for all of you who have already passed the milestone and are rolling your eyes or chuckling to yourselves. To you it's not crazy at all. You've gotten very accustomed to AARP notices, flomax and the Doc's receptionist on a first named basis. Well, I'm close to being in the club and figured a few thoughts were due at this time of life.
As I look at 50 years from this vantage point there is one thing, no two things that excite me more than any other. Those are compliments on my kids and on my marriage. No, life is not perfect but I can't think of anything that makes me want to jump for joy more than that, except I'm afraid to strain something....
Anyway, I thought, since life and God have been very good to us regarding family, that I would take some time to write about some of the things we did that have been effective to give us (our family) the love and closeness that we really enjoy. It's important to note that I could never have written this stuff even a few years ago because I didn't know anything. I don't claim to know anything now except to say living life by the seat of your pants while trusting God is scary, exciting and more fun than a person should be able to have and on the way you learn stuff as you go. So here we go...Part 1 of who knows how many parts.....
Step 1: Prayer, prayer and more prayer
I was always afraid that when our children were born one would be handicapped. Not that we would have loved a challenged child any less but I didn't know if I had in me what it would take to be a good father to a child with a disability. Families with those challenges are heroes to me. So when Laura, our first, was born - not to mention she gave me a fright when I saw her head crown and her umbilical cord was wrapped over her head making her look like Klingon! - she was perfect in every way that I could tell and my heart, in a matter of milliseconds, was irreparably and wonderfully ruined by her.
They spanked her butt - twice because she stubbornly refused to cry the first time - they cleaned her up and then whoosh, took her away!! My mind said, "Heck no!!" and I gave chase into the little weighing and measuring room. They laid her on this freezing stainless steel trough/scale and stepped away to do something leaving me there momentarily mesmerized by this new creation.
At that moment emotion and thankfulness to God rolled over me like a wave breaking on the beach. I didn't care who was there or who saw. I got on my knees beside that little table, tears streaming down my face and I thanked God for what He had done and cried for His help to not mess this little life up. She'll be 21 next month, a Bible College student studying for the ministry and I'm as proud as ever but I am still praying.
We did the same for Erik and Audrey as they were born and as they grew we prayed together many times throughout the day; when they left for school, at meal time, at bed time, when there was discipline, when they were sick, we prayed a lot. Erik loves the Lord and is serving Him as is Audrey.
I have a prayer list that is almost illegible because it is so worn. Their names are on the top of the list. Every morning when I get up to go to pray, I pray for my family. It's the thing most often forgotten by parents but the most important thing we can give to our kids or our spouse.
Pray. Always pray. Never stop praying. Teach them to pray. Pray with them. Pray for them. Pray quietly. Pray out loud. Pray in the morning. Pray at night. Pray when they need something. Pray just to thank Him. Let them see you pray. Pray when you go out. Pray when you come in. Forgetting all else, one thing you cannot forget and that is to pray!!
Step number 1 when raising kids by the seat of your pants....get off your seat, get on your knees and pray!!!!!
In His grip,
Greg
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