Road Trip

Anyone else ever have those moments you wish you could hit the rewind button and do what you just did in a whole different way? I do! All the time! Sometimes I feel like the Apostle Paul, and not in a good way. I do the things I don't want to do and I don't do the things I know I should. And so it goes this weekend.

Friday I came home from work and started planning all the things I needed to get done this weekend, especially before any rain were to come in, as it was predicted. Mow the grass, change the oil in the car, do some different repairs on the house, etc... Not once did I stop to think that my wife might want or even need me to go with her on a road trip to see her grandmother, who had not seen our new baby yet. She had this trip planned all week and not once did I consider that I needed to go. She has gone to see her grandmother many times and she didn't need me any of those times, so why would this trip be any different. But it was different! When she asked me what I was going to do when they (my wife and three kids) were gone I replied, "Oh, I've got somethings to do." I thought that would be the end of it. But I was wrong. You know you have really messed up when you can hear it in their voices that you have disappointed them. She said, "OK. I didn't think you would go with us anyway. I've stopped planning around your schedule and just go when it works for the rest of us, because I know you have other things to do." When she said this it was so matter of fact. She didn't seem upset, or angry. It was just the way it was. But that's were the problem was. That it was just the way it was. The disappointment was there and apparently it had been there before.

That's when it hit me! I had messed up in a big way! She was needing me to place her and her desires above my own. Sure I had things to do, but not one of them was going to make a difference in the life of my family. Not one of those things were more important than spending time throwing the baseball around with my son while at his Great Grandmother's house. Not one of those things were more important than seeing the face of my wife's grandmother as my eleven year old daughter carried in the house my one month old daughter and showed her to Granny for the first time.

Those are the things that matter in life! No one will remember how nice your lawn looked or if you maintained your car perfectly when you are lying there on your death bed. My hope is, that when that time comes my family is gathered around me remembering how they felt that they were more important to me than anything else in this world!

Sometimes before we can change our family tree we have to come face to face with somethings that are not always pretty to look at. We have to put our families desires above our own! We have to let them see that they are special and not just assume they know it. Dad's if we don't teach our sons this, they are bound to repeat it.

Dad, don't be afraid to change your family tree! But start now! Time is of the essence. Before we know it our children are up and gone and it will be too late! So look fear in the face and tell it, " You are not going to win this time!" Don't be afraid Dad! Don't be afraid!

Paul Kersh
Family Tree Ministries






Dad, don't be afraid to change your family tree.