Lessons From My Dad: Kids Spell Love T-I-M-E

Last week, I shared five general lessons that my dad taught me. This week, I want to share five more. My hope is that these small life lessons will bring perspective, wisdom, and insight into how to live with purpose. Today’s lesson pertains to leading and loving children. Whether or not you are fathering someone, this principle can apply to so many situations. We all need tools for how to capture the hearts of those around us in order to influence them for Jesus. This is a tool for how to love people well. Here it is: Kids spell love T-I-M-E. Dad poured himself into ministry. But he reached a point where ministry had swallowed up his family. Being a man of sober conviction, he sensed a problem arising. It was like one day he awakened and realized that his own kids didn’t know him and vice versa. Suddenly, in a moment, he changed. I remember he started taking me to baseball games and spending time with my siblings. It marked me as a child to see such a clear display of repentance. He was heading in one direction, knew it wasn’t right, turned in a different direction, and started living in a different way. Later, I asked him what happened. He said he realized that kids spell love T-I-M-E. Years later, when your kids are grown, they won’t remember if you were at that meeting or not. But they will remember if you were present at their game or their dance recital or their special school assembly. Use your time wisely and invest your best energy into your family! You only get them once.