Reflections From Victory's Crossing Church, June 8th, 2014
from Growing Confident Kids to Growing Strong Adults and Relationships
A recent
sermon at church was about growing confident kids. The Pastor talked about “speaking
words of encouragement, loving unconditionally, making time for play and not
undervaluing the time we have with our kids.” In a family context, he is
absolutely correct! The importance of growing confident kids is a priority for
all parents, or it should be.
I understood his message and believe it whole-heartedly. As a single mother, I can only hope
that I have provided a strong foundation for my kids- in spite of the stressed
and complicated reality that has been my norm for way too long. I hope that my
children are still secure in what I was able to give to them- not mentally
making a list of what they did not have. It's not all about the money, but even
in respect to fun, like the saying goes, "Money can't but you happiness,
but poverty can buy you nothing."
This year, I am trying to be mindful to make room for fun. I don't want
their memories (or mine) to be full of missed opportunities.
Along that
same line, I don’t want my friendships and other relationships to be full of
missed opportunities either. As I reflect on the Pastor’s message, his points
of loving unconditionally, making time for play and spending quality time are
applicable to our other relationships too. We all need friends who love us,
encourage us, and pick us back up when we fall. AND YES, we all fall.
I am a firm
believer that investing in people is incredibly valuable. Pastor Arlie is correct
that quality time allows people to feel accepted and nurtured. Just as it is
important for kids to feel secure in their identity, I think that is important
for adults too. No one wants to feel judged or as if they are unworthy. When we
sense that we aren’t accepted and loved, that self-doubting voice will try to
dominate all thoughts. You can’t thrive when you are making decisions from a
position of fear or insecurity.
With that
understanding, I am making a mental checklist to be mindful in how I treat
others. I am normally mindful, but everyone has a certain amount of “mess” in their
lives. If we wait for “the right- time” to see people, the right-time may be an
optical illusion that never happens. I will not take my friendships for granted
or let them lapse because I am too "busy". I have learned that life
goes by too quickly if you let the time slip away. I have also learned that
when time is shared, you capture a bit of it by holding that memory.
The thought
for the day is: I will give of myself where I can and invest in the friendships
that I have and any new ones along the way. At the end of the day, I don’t want
to reflect on the things I didn’t give, or should have done.
Many years
ago, when my mother-in law passed away, someone remarked that she had a way about
her that made each grandchild feel as if they were her favorite. What an awesome legacy to leave behind. For
some people it comes naturally. For others, (like me) it may be a conscious
decision. I say this knowing that I won’t be perfect, but I will do my best. We
are all works in progress.
To hear the sermon for yourself: http://victoryscrossing.com/sermons/your-id-in-christ-3/