Time Well Spent!

This past Saturday I made a turn around trip to visit Mom and Dad over in Louisiana. Dad’s birthday is coming up this next Wednesday and I always try to go and spend the day when it is a special time for them. It is a 400 mile round trip and it can be tiring but in the grand scheme of things it’s not really that big of a deal. I’ve been doing this for many years now and it is something I look forward to. They always enjoy me coming but hate that I go to the trouble and hate that it’s a long drive but they feel honored that I would do it. Good. Because that is exactly how I want them to feel. Honored. It’s as simple as that!

It is my privilege to give up a few hours of my time in order to make these very special people feel honored. We’ve lived here in the big city metro area for nearly forty years. They’ve continued to live in that small town area for the same number of years, therefore, it is always a good day when I can go and spend time with them. They have been very blessed by God and really have need of nothing as far as material things are concerned. We give them gifts but that’s simply to recognize the special occasion, it is not to provide them with something they really need.

This is why I came up with the idea many years ago about giving up something more than a few bucks for a tool or a jacket or a shirt, a plant, or some other nick knack given along with a nice greeting card. These are all appropriate but my thought was how about giving up some of my time to show them how thankful I am for them, and how blessed I am to have them in my life? Yes, that’s right, it’s premeditated and intentional. I typically get there at breakfast time and they always have a feast ready. We pray together, eat together, remember old times together, talk about family, solve world issues, deal with politics, and then I leave and come back home. Often they travel a short ways with me to a cafe for a final afternoon meal before I leave. More praying, eating, and fellowshipping, and then I am on my way.

A great preacher and visionary mission builder, the late Dr. C. H. McBryde, once said this about prioritizing our time as it relates to doing those things that matter most, he said, “When you think about it sleep is mostly habit and you easily give it up whenever it is something you really want to do”. Dr. McBryde was one of my early supporters in the Church planning seminars I did and he and his wife were both tremendous influences in our lives. He, of course, was relating the choices we make to being actively engaged in kingdom activities, but I see it also applicable to many choices that we make.

When I leave Mom and Dad I’m always the one who feels blessed. They have stood by us all through the good times and the bad, and they have been a consistent testimony and example of faithfulness. Also be sure that I am not saying those in our family who can’t do what I do are wrong and I am right. Each of us have our own row to hoe, as Paw Paw Mac used to say, therefore, we all do what we can in the best way that we can. I can think of dozens of reasons why what I do would be very difficult for some others. But we all can do what we can and one of the things I highly recommend is that we all take the time to let Mom and Dad know how very special they are and how thankful we are for them, and how much we thank God for them. Whatever means we choose to do this, by card, by phone, by personal visit, or whatever, it is our privilege and it will end up being time well spent. More later……………..