We will be wrapping up the Prime Times in a child’s
life with Parent Time. Parent Time is the time you take to fill yourself back
up so you can pour into your kids and family.
I am a pretty big fan of my husband. He’s
awesome and I enjoy my one-on-one time with him. Recently we went on a date
just the two of us and before dinner we walked hand in hand along the canal and
just got to be us.
The “us” that fell in love years ago.
The “us” that used to
be spontaneous. I mean I even almost got a tattoo that evening! Now that’s
living life on the edge if you’re a parent!
Now some of you might be thinking
“Wow you are really boring!” but for us this one-on-one time is crucial for our
marriage. We want to strive to be the best parents for our kids and for us that
means putting our marriage before our kids and taking time for us. A healthy
marriage occurs when we submit to God first and then to one another.
We always try to create opportunities where we don’t
talk about our kids the whole evening and the upcoming week’s schedule but we
talk about each other and our hopes and dreams. We get to laugh together and
just be Ryan and Whitney. This helps us maintain a great friendship at the base
of our relationship.
God didn’t create marriage to bring us down. He told us that two are better than one in
Genesis therefore, marriage is supposed to make us better.
Marriage is a gift! A gift that should enhance our
lives, not suck the very life right out of us.
You see most days, we are up early getting kids
ready for the day. Then out the door for work all day to rush home to eat
dinner together. Then we kiss each other goodbye because one of us has to run
one child to practice while the other parent has to go to a meeting. Every
night is full of activities we love but pull us away from each other. Days are
busy when you have a family. Weeks are busy. Months are busy.
I encourage you to take time each and every night to
talk to each other…not about business, but about your day, your lives, and your
dreams. Then, I urge you to pray
together before you go to bed each night.
You will be amazed at the life that God will infuse into your marriage.
Now some of
you might be in a season where you don’t have a spouse to spend one-on-one time
with. You can still make sure you are filling your cup up by taking time for
yourself. Maybe for you it’s going to your local coffee shop to read a book of
your choice. Or maybe you need some gym time with a friend to relieve stress.
Maybe attending a Bible study is what you need to recharge you spiritually.
Whatever it is you decide, make sure it’s for you to recharge so you to be the
best parent you can be.
"So
many people were coming and going Jesus said to them `Come with me by
yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.'" Mark 6:31 (NIV)
To love others you have to keep your emotional tank
full because when it gets low, it's going to make a difference in your
relationships. Doing God’s work is important, but Jesus recognizes that to do
God’s work effectively we need periodic rest and renewal.
In order to be the best parents we can be, we have
to make sure that we make time for ourselves, even if it’s just an hour or two.
We are our kids role models, the ones they look up to each day for guidance and
advice. If we are exhausted, cranky and beaten down, then what are we teaching
our children?
I hope you will take time for you, whether it’s
one-on-one time with your spouse or time just by yourself. I hope it’s a time that
you are able to recharge yourself and remember who you are so you can be the
best parent to your kids.
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