Fr. Joe+ gave me a transcript from National Public Radio's "Speaking of Faith." It was a segment on Spirituality of Parenting Click here for the website and some great stories. The essay encourages parents to get involved in the faith of their children, even if it takes time and even if we, as parents, feel inadequate.
At the same time, I have read and heard (at a conference) that, more and more, the trend today is for kids to bring parents to church rather than parents bringing kids to church. Churches that want to reach others for the Gospel and to grow spiritually as well as numerically know that kids are often the ones to reach. Children naturally are spiritual and have many spiritual questions and quests.
Consider how much time we spend shopping, surfing (the internet or the Gulf,) at work, exercising, going to endless practices and meetings and ask ourselves this. "How much time to I personally devote to the spiritual life of a child in my life?" Personally. Not passing off to a Sunday school teacher for 45 minutes every other week. Personally.
If the spiritual time with a child rivals some of life's other diversions, you are bestowing God's blessing. If you must sacrifice some of life's other diversions in order to make time, a double blessing on you.
My dad told me when I was younger to enjoy my life and make it about me until I have children. After that, is should never be about me again. I believe he is right and I have tried to remember that each day.
My dad always wanted a BMW motorcycle. He served his children his whole adult life &
ReplyDeleteNever got one, but you should have seen his face when his son's were fortunate enough to get them. I once let him ride mine when he was older in a parking lot. He was like a kid again.