The pressures and strains of being a father are great. It has always been that way. Fathers have in most Western homes been the provider and primary worker and this has naturally pulled them out of the home. However, there are some significant differences that modern society has foisted upon us such as the 24 hour work day. Some dads are in bed before the little ones get up, and they go to work before they get home from school. The time they have awake no one is home. Another great thing that has been adopted, and for the life of me I cannot figure out why, is the variable schedule. You will have a different schedule every week. Want to plan a family event, want to make it to your kid’s soccer game? Tough you can’t plan ahead because we will tell you your schedule and it will be different every single week. The 9-5 M-Fr. job is as rare as finding a closed store on Thanksgiving. I wonder why families don’t eat together anymore?
Coupled with the bizzaro business practices that seem to think you can have stable workers by destabilizing their life, you also have the sheer volume of stuff to do. If you have school aged kids you know what I mean. Everything from music, dance, soccer, karate, basketball, to reading night, parent conferences, school talent show, open house, etc etc etc. In addition there are the required activities (Wednesday Family night and church on Sabbath) and you can easily be gone out of the house every single day of the week and sometimes we are!
Even when the external pressures of life are not there, you still have a shocking number of dads who come home from work, find a couch with a remote conveniently located on it, and fail to move until bed time. The time they spend with the kids is in front of TV.
The reality is , we need to be doing less whether is it work, play or anything else we are doing and spend more time with our children. Dads, do not believe the lie that quality time makes up for quantity. Your kids not only need quantity but they need high quality quantity. They need to be in relationship with you and being in your presence. They need to learn from you. They need to spend time with you.
This week we will talk about God’s design for dads, but design will mean little if you are not there with them. Shape your life so that you are present with your children. Do what it takes, no excuses.
See you at church,
Pastor Chris
