Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Partners in Parenting


“Significant Days!”

I have been spending a great deal of time with my dad lately until he died in the Lord on October 17, 2012.  He broke his hip on

September 25th.  He had been in the hospital and a nursing home since being taken by ambulance from his farm.  Those days leading up to October 17th are going to be very memorable for me.  I watched him quickly decline in health and in spirit.  I watched him deal with intense pain.  I saw him struggle to gather his thoughts to express what he was thinking.  That is the down-side of those days.  The up-side of those days is that I got to talk to him about his life and learn new things.  I never knew that he got to play one game of football and one game of baseball each year.  Otherwise, he had to work on the farm.  I also got to speak German to him because he spoke German and English growing up.  In his last five days, he rarely spoke in English at all.  He and I never really spoke German to each other, but we did for five days. 

October 17th has been a significant date for my dad.  His great-grandfather died on October 17, 1890.  He and his dad were in a car accident on October 17, 1961, and his dad eventually died over a month later from injuries sustained in the accident.  He even commented to me before that “maybe I’ll go on October 17th too.”  Yes, a significant day for him during his life.

The truth is – every day has significance.  My dad’s final days on earth are significant to me, but so are all the days I spent with him from my birth until his final days.  I am vividly reminded that all days have significance, and I want to remember that as I parent my own children.  The things parents do or don’t do in the life of their child matter and are significant.  As my dad is now in heaven, I’d have to say that he is now living the most significant days he’ll ever have because he is with Jesus!!  Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”  My dad’s favorite verse.

Family Discussion Points!

What are some significant dates on the calendar for your family?

Talk about your favorite family memories from the last year – just to remind others of the significance of time together.

Talk about how significant it is for us to spend eternity with Jesus above anything we accomplish here on earth.

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