Last week, I had the pleasure of spending time individually with each of my three children. What a great time we had in the simple things we did. Because we have three children, I don’t often get to spend time with each of them by themselves, so this was a real treat for me.
We didn’t do anything amazing or out of this world. We didn’t even travel far from home. What we did do was something that often gets lost in the chaotic schedules of our lives.
We spent unhurried time together.
How wonderful it was to just enjoy each other’s company! Some of my children like to talk more than others. So I had long conversations with some and little conversation with others.
One is very dramatic while another is very laid back and still another is somewhere in between. The topics and duration of our conversation varied greatly between them as I sat back and listened attentively.
While I am with my children most of the time, much of our time is spent traveling to and from activities, watching activities, reminding them to practice activities—you get the picture. My guess is that it may look a lot like your life.
We have little down time in our family. Between work, school, ministry and extracurricular activities we are very busy. So last week we deliberately cleared our calendars so we could enjoy our time together doing anything or nothing at all.What a gift it was!
I was reminded again of how quickly our children grow up. My oldest is 14 and in high school. How thrilled I am that he still enjoys spending time with me and is willing to talk about most anything. Before we know it, he’ll be graduating high school and off to college and to follow his dreams.
I love my children! Not only do I love them, I like them—a lot! I appreciate their unique personalities, how they think and the perspectives they take on the world around them. I am in awe of their gifts and talents and am grieved by their struggles.
I am so very grateful they are ours. I wouldn’t change a thing about them. Not even their special needs. I believe that it is those challenges they have faced that have helped them to be the people they are today.
And when I spend time with them and really see them, I see that there are some blessings that come with special needs. It’s what makes them them—unique, special, one-of-a-kind.
And I wouldn’t want it any other way.