I was just able to be on vacation with our family. Though we had to move in and out a bit because as we have grown into all adults, we have different jobs and responsibilities, family schedules have to be adjusted, and expectations change. I was so happy and satisfied, however, that part of our vacation we were all able to be together.
The front end of the vacation began with being connected in odd ways – the first two days we spent a good deal of time huddled in the basement because of tornado warnings. As soon as those were over, it was Hurricane Debbie stirring up a ruckus, and we were all inside together – no beach time for the first few days. But we had plenty of enjoyable conversation, storytelling, food, and food. Then the sun was out, and the good times continued in the sand and sunshine.
I said we are all adults now. Not quite. There’s one of us who is very tiny, and she made it amazingly special. This is the first vacation we had together with our first little grandchild. Our granddaughter Rowen is two months old. Just her presence made the vacation spectacular. Her little gurgles were as soothing as the waves. We all were fascinated and delighted by her every movement.
Watching her mother and father interact with her and care for her with such love was deeply satisfying and also prompted quite a bit of reflection on my part. It’s been several decades since we had a tiny baby living in our home. I had forgotten how much work such a tiny little person demands. The intentionality, the energy, the time, the careful thought. The lack of sleep, the continual choices to delay or deny your own desires. Parenting is challenging, demanding, and even exhausting. It is amazingly rewarding too.
I was reminded that no matter what season of parenting you consider, it is all that and more. It changes as they grow bigger and older, but it doesn’t necessarily get easier. When they learn to crawl, then walk, feed, and dress themselves, even drive themselves, the challenges are different, but they are still there. They need attention as they develop friendships and find new influences in their lives. Every stage of parenting is full of challenges.
That is why we must be more intentional at home. Successful and satisfying families grow best with more connection to the church. God created His church to be a support to you as a parent and to your children as they grow. How does that work? Well, every student needs a respected adult outside their own family who is saying and living the same thing that Mom and Dad are saying and living.
The media and psychologists continually state that single parenting is one of life’s most difficult tasks. If you are parenting alone, I am sure you have many moments that are overwhelming. You might be surprised to know that even those of us who are parenting with a spouse also have moments of overwhelm and feeling very alone. We all need a tribe; a team to understand and support us.
Partnering with the church is what God intended, and it is well worth the effort to get involved. NewPointe is committed to doing just that – partnering with you to raise champions who enjoy life and receive and bring blessing. We want to help you raise children who know they are loved by God and empowered for life.
If you were not here this past weekend, I encourage you to listen to the message. It will give you the big picture and help you see and understand the goals and process so we can work together. I also encourage you to go to our website and look for the Family Framework section. It will encourage, inspire, and inform you.
Living in today’s world is challenging and even scary sometimes. You don’t want to go it alone. And you want companions on the journey for your children as well. There’s no time like now to get that underway. Join us. We’re looking for and praying for you.