Good afternoon! I hope you are all well. There has been a minor delay with this month’s reflection as I am writing it from my sick bed at home…..So read on and I will be back with you all sometime next week!
A person is a person- It doesn’t matter how small they are!
Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.
Psalm 127 3-5
Children- They are hard work! Let’s be honest most of us who have children didn’t really think that it would be as hard as it is did we; those of us who don’t have children don’t believe it can be that hard do you? And those of us with grown up children are probably thinking back on what raising children was like and chuckling!
I always used to laugh at my parents when they used to say towards the end of the summer holidays ‘We’ll be glad when you go back to school’…… I could never understand it because my brothers and I used to have a great time with my mum and dad!!! But now I have children of my own I can understand why the children going back to school is such a good thing- we get to have a rest!!! Having looked after Abigail and Holly during the summer there were days when I didn’t stop- with Abi wanting to ‘help’ and having to watch everything Holly is doing the hours seem to blur and my energy levels seemed to run out very quickly!
On the plus side I have managed to catch up with some quality film viewing whilst looking after them- I have watched Shrek, Shrek 2, Shrek the Third, Shrek forever after, Frozen and various other animated films of which I now know the scripts of…… My suggestion to Abi of watching something different was met with a raised eyebrow and Holly shouting ‘Shrek’ as only a two year old can!
Now that summer is over Abigail has started in year 4 at school- so now she has two pieces of homework a week instead of last year’s one- this in reality it means that ‘Daddy Man’ has two pieces of homework a week now- Which means I have learnt all about Celtic roundhouse, times tables and Roman armies so far…….. But honestly I can say that I wouldn’t want to be without Abi and Holly and watching them grow, change and develop is a real blessing for me as a Dad- even if it does mean watching Frozen…….
The reality is that whether your children are, two, eight or Forty two they are still your children and that making sacrifices for them is the business of parenting! My mum and dad stay in regular contact with my brothers and I and are always making sure that we are Ok! Our responsibility as parents never goes away- as we grow up and move out, make our own decisions and mistakes our parents are still our parents and I know in my case that my mum and dad are there if I need them (even if I don’t need them to help me with times tables or watch Frozen with me!)
As Christians we believe that we have a heavenly father who loves us totally- who sacrificed everything when he gave his son Jesus to die on the cross for the things we have done wrong- There is no better example of a parent making sacrifices than that one thing!
Our heavenly father is ever present and we read in Isaiah 40: 28-31:
‘Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.’
Our Heavenly father never grows tired or weary- can you imagine never being tired as a parent???
As a parent I know that I am truly blessed with wonderful children- even when I am tired and they aren’t I love them totally and the small sacrifices I make for them are simply me putting that love into action! We are also blessed to have a heavenly father whose love for us is so strong that he sacrificed his son on the cross in the ultimate act of love to pay for our wrong doing- That is Love in action!
Love in action is what we are about as Christians- it isn’t simply about your own children or family but also about the others around us! We can see every day the work that is going on all around us in the Police service and wider community to try and make our communities better- whether it be the local food banks, street pastors or angels or a multitude of other work that is going on that if formal or not!
So this month whoever is around you whether it be children, parents, family, colleagues, friends or people you don’t know be the person who puts love into action and in whatever way you can show love in action for them……… even if you are tired and even if they do ask you to watch Frozen!
God Bless
Keith
