Guest blog by Curt Ellis, River of Life Church of God
When I pick up my kids from school or a friends house, I love how the stories unfold from the passenger seat. Trapped in the car with me left my child with the only option, to have conversations. Many times, I turn the radio down or off so that I could hear about their day. I remember countless tales of how the highs and lows of how the day unfolded. I learned so much about my child’s reaction responses and true feelings through those brief conversations.
The position that you find yourself in may seem so ordinary. The scene can seem so familiar that we may overlook the treasure that the situation can bring. As parents, these cases unfold differently. Maybe she is tired after dance practice and that leads to brutal honesty? Maybe he has had enough at the afterschool program and needs to get things off his chest? Either way, yours unfolds, are we embracing the moments?
Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.
~Ecclesiastes 11:4
This warning from King Solomon reminds us that waiting for the perfect moments force us to pass up opportunities. Raising children, we find out that the perfect moment for anything is hard to come by. Embrace the time you have. Love in the moments you are given. Your children have needs and it’s not for the “best” you, it’s for the real you.
About Curt Ellis: Curt and his wife Stacy have been leading in children’s ministry for almost 10 years. We have been involved in childcare for over 20 years and have devoted ourselves to child psychology. They currently serve as the Children’s Pastors of River of Life Church of God in Hamilton, GA. Reprinted with permission.
