What will you kids remember when your gone?

I am blessed with a wonderful wife and three amazing kids we had a great day together for fathers day. It was special and typical all at the same time. It was special in that my wife and kids went out of their way do things for me that I like and enjoy. It was typical because I had to correct each of my kids a few times throughout the day.

I hesitated initially because it was fathers day and I didn’t want to ruin anything by being “Harsh” on a special day. One of the parenting fears I have is that the last interaction I have with my kids will be one where I am correcting them. I know it sounds stupid and even as I type it sounds a bit silly to me. But it’s a legitimate fear I have. I don’t want my kids last memory of me to ever be one of anger, frustration or ambivalence.

As I sit here thinking through the day I really felt God speak something  to me. I am not judged by my kids for a single instance of perceived anger but that single instance is judged in the context of all my ineractions with my kids. What does that mean? I can’t live in fear that every interaction with my kids will be my last I need to trust that God has placed me in their life to love them with a love that is greater than my capacity because of the greater than earthly love Jesus demonstrated to us on the cross. When correct our kids in love there is no greater message of love and confidence that they are loved by you. You love them to much to let them destroy themselves with foolish choices.

So happy fathers day. Start today building a legacy of tough love infused with grace. Your kids with thank you for it and praise you because of it no matter what your last words to them might be.

Hebrews 12:8-9
⁸ If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. ⁹ Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?