As we approach Father’s Day weekend, I want to encourage you to remember and honor the special men in your life, whether it be your own father, grandfather or another mentor.
I also want to take a moment to speak directly to all of you dads and grandads! I think it is so important for us to take a moment to reflect and take inventory on how we are doing in this area of our lives. One way to judge our efforts is to ask ourselves how we are spending our resources. How are we spending our time? How are we spending our money?
#1 Don’t let life pass you by
If we’re not careful, it can be easy to get our priorities jumbled when we spend the majority of our time and money on things that don’t truly matter. Precious time can slip right by when we are distracted or focused on mindless social media scrolling or anything else that distracts us from spending quality time with our children or grandchildren. We must be intentional about how we spend our time and money.
I read a story recently about a dad whose son had begged him, daily, to play cars with him, but he was always so busy with work and instead promised his son, “maybe another day.” One day as the family prepared to donate clothing and toys they no longer used, the father noticed his son’s cars were in the box of giveaway items. He ran to his wife asking her why she had boxed up the cars. She explained to her husband that their son hadn’t played with the cars for years. It was a crushing moment as he realized he had missed this precious opportunity to sit down and play with his son. How are you doing? Are you spending your time to make memories with your children or grandchildren? Are you using your money to open doors or provide opportunities and experiences that will bless the lives of your children, grandchildren or even nieces and nephews?
#2 Unrivaled Joy
I believe if your money doesn’t make you happy, you’re probably not spending it right. When you choose to use your time and money to bless others, you’re going to put a smile on their faces but I also guarantee, you’re also going to discover what it means to feel true happiness in your heart. I really do believe that there is a certain kind of joy that can only be experienced when you’re doing something for someone else. Dads are you using your time and money to bless life
#3 How they will remember you
No matter how successful you are in this life, you will not be remembered for your achievements at work, the car you drive, the clothes you wear or the great house you have. Your children and grandchildren, instead will remember you, for better or worse, by the way you spend your time and money! I’m not suggesting you have to spend money on your loved ones in order to create fond memories, but I do believe creating experiences and memories with your children and/or grandchildren is so important. Recently a friend who lost her grandfather shared with me, that her fondest memories were the times her grandfather picked her up from school and took her to the gas station to get a special treat. It was a simple tradition, but one that she remembered 30 years later. It’s a great example of something that didn’t require a ton of money or time, but instead required an intentional decision to slow down and be present. I’d like to encourage all of you dads and grandads to look for opportunities to create these kinds of moments with your children and grandchildren. It truly is what life is all about!
