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Subject: Me and "the Boy"
Time: 1:55:00 PM EDT
Author: kpchprather4
Music: Dia Del Sol-Chris Spheeris
The lovely and engaging Mrs. Prather (my wife) and my daughter are in Washington D.C. right now-a school trip. My daughter's school was one of two schools selected in Texas to go to D.C. to be a part of the National Anthem Project. There, they will see sites, and they will sing the national anthem on the White House lawn, meet "W'...it will be quite the experience.
That means me and "The Boy" (to borrow from Homer), my son, Christian, well, we're at home. Yes, last night we stayed up late and swapped manly stories, but I didn't make waffles this morning (50 bonus points to anyone who knows what movie that is from). Me and the Boy.
He's not so much "The Boy" any longer. He's 14. 15 comes in September. He's right at 6'2" (mom has height genes on her side of the family-I missed that part in the genetic sweep stakes), and he's no longer that tiny 5 lb 8 oz newborn I held in my hand over 14 years ago. And that seemed like yesterday. Of course, I personally have not aged over this fourteen year time period...but he sure has.
Time flies. That sound so cliche. To those of you under the age of 22 who read this, trust me, it does. The past fourteen plus years have been the fastest fourteen years of my life. One day he's learning to walk, the next he's jumping high in the air on a basketball court and hanging on the rim just because it's fun. One moment I'm clapping my hands and shouting for joy because he said his first words and the next minute I'm thinking "In a few years he's going to college..." yeah...time flies.
So one half of the family is in D.C., taking in the sites and will be hanging with the Prez at some point this week, and the other half is here...and time just keeps moving. It doesn't slow down. There are moments to experience as special and holy and meaningful...and moments to miss because we're just too busy. Too distracted.
So I took today and Thursday off. Tomorrow he's coming to work with me for a while. We'll go out for lunch. I do this because time flies. I do this because I don't want to be one of those dads who looks back and says, "I wish I'd been around when my kids were growing up." I do this because I am ever mindful that time flies and this moment will come and go. It's what I do with this moment that matters.
So, today, we'll walk down to a Middle School and we'll play some hoops outside in the 95 degree heat. We'll come back and hang out. We'll talk about everything from God to faith to Spurs to being goofy, because that's what fourteen year olds love to do...and then tonight we'll make our way to basketball practice, come home, talk, pray-then hit the rack.
Some might say: "If you were a good Christian you'd be taking your son out witnessing today or maybe you would take him to a soup kitchen to serve someone...I don't see what's so special about what you are doing."
Yes, I am responsible for discipling my son-and he has had many of those moments-we just don't advertise them. But the holy isn't confined to church buildings or soup kitchens. Time itself is holy. What we discuss during our time together is our business, not something I would advertise to the world.
Our time may sound mundane-but it's not. It's gloriously holy and special. It's important because time flies. It's important because these life moments count. You can't get them back once they are gone. It's important because I know that time with my son is important.
And that is true about a lot of things in life. We often miss out on the important because we are so caught up in the urgent or the mundane or whatever. No, I won't cut and paste the lyrics to "The Cat's in the Cradle," I'm not going there and that would be a bit sappy. But the general idea is there. You don't want to look back and say, "if only..." because you can't get that time back. Once its gone...its gone.
I pray your day is special...meaningful. Love well, love fiercely. Enjoy the moment while it is here...because time does fly. Time is holy-and our relationships matter. God hasn't called you to sacrifice your family on the altar of anything, no matter what others may say.
And for those who say: "Didn't Jesus tell us that we were to love Him more than family? That those who left family for His sake would be rewarded greatly?" Well...you're missing the point. He also chided the religious leaders of His day for neglecting their families in the name of religion (1000 bonus points if you know what I'm referring to). His point was that we were to love Him more than anything or anyone-and that includes family. He wasn't telling us to NEGLECT family. Just to love Him more than anything.
And if we're honest, we're all working on that, growing in that area. But the Scriptures I read have a lot to say about family relationships and time and love and mentoring...and being there.
So be there. Because time flies.
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time flies is cliche, but that one's really true, so its ok. i hate the 'dont work too hard' cliche thing to say when you're leaving the store. i usually respond w/ OH SIR....I WILL......YOU BETTER BELIEVE I WILL.....HOW WILL I EVER GET ANYWHERE IF I DONT........GET OUT OF MY FACE! haha not really that last part.
but yeah, i haven't been spending as much time w/ my family lately as i should, but when i do, ive been actually talking to them a lot more, telling them about thigns goin on in life, joking around, all which is relatively new, and i love it. you really are a blogging machine.
6/13/07 12:01 AM
as for "don't work too hard"-maybe a better response might be to say, "you know sir...you're right." then lay down on the floor and take a nap.
see how that works. if your boss appears angry, just take it in stride. deep down inside he's proud of you for being yourself and for having the maturity to know your physical limits. deep down inside he's really thinking: "now HERE'S a young man who isn't going to burn himself out trying to get to the top! here's a young man with perspective. i'll take him under my wing and mold him-he WILL become the face of our store..."
if it doesn't work out that way and you get fired...it's probably something you didn't do right, not my advice. O.K.?