by Leanne Willen
Before my oldest child was baptized (4 years ago), we attended preparation classes at our church. On one of the nights, we discussed various ways to teach the Catholic faith to him. He was just a few months old. It felt like it would be a long time before I needed any of that information.
Then, I blinked. He is at the perfect age for learning and growing in faith.
One thing that stood out to me during those classes was the section that talked about building memories and traditions. One of the pages said, “Children spell love T-I-M-E.”
This has always been in my mind and in my heart, but sometimes I let the busyness of life get in the way of spending real time with my kids.
The other day, my son and I put together a puzzle while his sister napped. As we put the pieces together, we talked about silly things. We laughed. His imagination ran wild with one story after another. As I sat across from him, genuinely invested in the simple moment, I suddenly understood. This quiet, yet quality time is exactly how he knows that I love him.
It’s the moments I give him free from distractions- no television, no phone, no computer, or housework.
He feels my love for him and suddenly I’ve given him the perfect introduction to an even greater love- God’s. What better way to teach the faith to a child than to model God’s love to him? And what better way to model God’s love than to be totally invested and completely tuned in?
Our days could certainly use more time like that. He’s four years old and getting bigger before my eyes. His little sister is nearly two. When I think about the hours and all the days I’ve wasted on worry, stress, and distractions, it breaks my heart.
Life is chaotic and busy. If we aren’t intentional, we can quickly lose sight of what’s important.
What is getting in the way of real, genuine time with the people you care about- your children, your husband, your family, or other valuable relationships?
We all spell love T-I-M-E, don’t we?
I’d like to challenge you to spend some real, quality time with the important people in your life today- no distractions. Turn off the T.V. Sit down for dinner together. Step away from the Internet. Spend time in prayer. Thank God for the gift of family and for time together uninterrupted.
Time will keep ticking. Life will keep moving forward. Let’s not miss out on opportunities to spend time with the ones we love and spread God’s love in the process.
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Leanne Willen enjoys writing about faith, family, and finding happiness. Her blog, Life Happens When, encourages others (and herself) to embrace the moment and enjoy the journey of life.
Yikes. Totally guilty of this. I’m shutting down the computer for the day and going to play Legos with my son. 🙂