In the movie Home Alone, the young boy Kevin is accidentally left home alone by his family as they travel to France for Christmas. While I am neither a boy, nor have I been left behind by my family, this year does mark my first as a father with no children living at home on Father's Day. And you know what? I'm okay with this.
Don't misunderstand me, I love my kids very, very much. It's just as a dad, one of the many jobs I have is to prepare them to find out what God wants them to do in the Kingdom, then go out and become productive members of society and leave the nest. It's a bitter sweet job too, because in order for them to do this, they have to leave and go out into the world.
I say bitter sweet, because in order for them to reach their potential they have to go out where I can no longer protect and watch out for them. As their dad it has been my job to make sure they were loved, had what they needed and showed them how to follow God. But now it is my job to pray for them and guide them with insight when they ask for it.
My children are adults now; they are married and have started their own lives with their spouses. It's a great time in my life as I watch them make their way in the world. My prayer life has amped up too, because I don't want them making the same mistakes I made when I was starting out.
One of the things I've noticed the most, is how quiet my house is now. My wife and I live here, but the noises we've grown accustomed too over the past twenty some years are gone. I remember thinking once how nice it would be when the kids were gone, because I wouldn't have to listen to the fighting or pestering one another. I've heard either Micah or April yell the name Noah when he'd did something to them so many times I wanted to scream (and did so on more than one occasion). And now I'd give anything to put up with this again.
In the book of Ecclesiastes it says for everything there is a season, and I'm just in another season of life; one I was unprepared for. As I mowed the yard yesterday I couldn't help but think about my youngest son Noah, and how he loved to mow. I also thought how he would still be living at home had he not killed himself 5 years ago. Yet one more thing I was unprepared for, but forced to deal with.
And this is it I think for dads, our children come into our lives fully dependent upon us for everything, then as they grow and mature they need us less and less. And if we're not careful we can lose touch with them because we feel as if they don't need us any more.When truthfully this may be the time they need us the most. Just because they've become adults doesn't mean they know everything now. There are still going to be things they need to learn, and can only learn from us because we've been there.
So while I may be home alone on this Father's Day it doesn't mean I am alone. Not at all, I've got the greatest kids out there, and they are impacting the world for God's Kingdom daily. They are doing the things I've trained them to do, and I'll be here for a long time to help them learn the things they still need to learn too.
I'm a blessed man, because I had the opportunity to raise Micah, April and Noah. And they still make me very proud and I love them SO much!!! For the Kingdom and the King!
