Time sure goes by very quickly. As I am growing older, it seems to be a glaring and irreversible reality. A quick glance at the calendar shows that we have already entered the second half of 2013. When I look back, I wonder where my “time” went. What have I accomplished in the past seven months? I can’t concretely remember. Maybe this is another sign of my old age! But then again, I remember that I was busy throughout the year. How about you? Can you remember what you have accomplished during the last seven months? If you were like me, you must be busy too. The fact of the matter is that we had done a lot. We kept ourselves busy, yet couldn’t remember what we did. That, my friends, I believe, is the danger of mismanaging our time.
For those of us who have children, it serves us well to remind that in spite of our busyness, the developing years of our children do not wait for us to spend time with them. While we dispense our energies and time attending to our businesses, our children grow with or without our involvement. The younger they are, the more attention they need from you. If you are absent during their childhood ages, it would be difficult to be involved in their teenager years. There comes a time when many teenagers want to keep a “safe distance” from their parents. Therefore, while they still want to attach to you, these are the golden years to teach, guide and encourage them. Most important of all, they need your love and care. This relationship needs to start at an early stage. Otherwise, it would be a painful lesson to learn later on when the children are grown.
There is one constant fact that never changes throughout the history of humankind regardless of time and space. This fact is the need to have healthy relationships. As in the case of fine wine taking time to ferment, healthy relationships also require time to cultivate. There is something in life that cannot be rushed. You can’t pull the root to help plants grow. Therefore, slow down. Enjoy your family. Your children will be gone before you know it. Slowing down doesn’t mean doing nothing. It means not rushing through life without enjoying the process.
Before I sign off, I would like to remind you to cultivate your relationship with your Father-God in Heaven. Satan has been moving us along in such a fast-paced lifestyle that we have forgotten how to slow down and be quiet. The Bible says, “It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord” (Lamentations 3:20). The context of this verse is that God’s love, compassions, and faithfulness are new every morning. Therefore, I will wait for Him, and enjoy His presence. Slow down, seek His face. Slow down, enjoy your family.
