Last week I got creative with our family white board, which we usually use for Scripture teaching or school-related work.

As my children curiously watched me grab one dry-erase marker after another, I drew a picture of my brain in the middle with lots of bubble-captions all around it. Each bubble consisted of something that is currently weighing on my mind.

And I ran out of space on the white board trying to list everything!

My goal was to show my wife and children all the things and “projects” that consume much of my thoughts so they would know why I often feel overwhelmed and “focused” much of the time.

This morning I told my wife I was transferring all these “thoughts” into a text file on my computer.

That’s when she dropped a bomb on me. A huge bomb.

She said… “Make sure you include your children on your list.”

Ka-BOOM! Whoa! I had not even so much as written their names on the white board!

And yet, outside of my faith and my wife, they are the highest priorities in my life. Or are they?

Why did I not start at the top of the white board by listing my wife and children first??? Probably because I take them for granted too much of the time. Truth be told, it is more like MOST of the time.

This was a convicting reminder, once again, that I have to be continually INTENTIONAL — even VIGILANT — about communicating to each person in my family how important they are to me.

And not just with my words, but also with my time, my schedule, my actions.

That means some of the things on my white board won’t get done. At least not as soon as I want them to. But that’s part of being a family dad. We know the importance of prioritizing our family, and we are willing to “cheat” other things in our life so that our wife and children get more of our time and attention when they need it.

So… What’s on your white board?

Time for me to go make some modifications to mine.

From one family dad to another,
Joey Watkins
Host of FamilyDads.com

Our Family Whiteboard

How’s your summer going?  My wife and I were laying in bed last night and she reminded me only a few more weeks are left until the kids start school back up.

That got me thinking…

Now would be a good time for us dads to consider how much time we’ve spent with our children this summer, and how important it is to them that we do.

How much personal time have you given to each of your children since they’ve been on summer break?

Has it been minimal, or have you intentionally put your work and personal interests on hold so that you can be in your child’s world?

Have you spent time reading together? Talking together? Gone on walks, hikes, bike rides? Taken a family vacation together? Gone swimming together? Taken your daughter out on dates? Gone fishing, canoeing, or a myriad of other fun outdoor activities with your son?

The list of ways to spend one-on-one time with our children is only limited by our creativity — and level of intentionality.

I read this quote recently… “The thing our children need most is often in the shortest supply — our time.”

They don’t care or need the “stuff” that a good paying job with long hours can provide. Children of all ages spell love T-I-M-E.  And time with dad is unrivaled in their mind.

Now before you begin this mental review of your summer schedule, watch a short video we’ve posted on the FamilyDads website. It has a powerful ending, so be sure and watch it to the very end.

Then take some time THIS WEEK to determine how you can give each one of your children, AND your wife, more of your time.

Here’s the video–

http://familydads.com/blog/?p=250

Every once in a while, a song with a powerful message for us dads comes along.

Trace Adkins recorded the song “You’re Gonna Miss This” that spent a lot of time at #1 on the charts for good reason.

Maybe you’ve heard it?

It’s a message reminding us parents how quickly our children grow up, and how soon we’re going to miss them and all those moments when they were young.

My wife and I both got blurry eyes the first time we heard this song.

The lyrics to the chorus are:

You’re gonna miss this.

You’re gonna want this back.

You’re gonna wish these days hadn’t gone by so fast.

These are some good times,

So take a good look around.

You may not know it now,

but you’re gonna miss this.

Below is official music video with Trace Adkins. It’s a great song to listen to again and again — like on one of those days when being a parent isn’t, shall we say, so much fun.

This video is embedded from YouTube. If you are unable to view it, click here.

We all go through times when we are tired. Not necessarily tired of being a dad. Just tired as a person, either physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually.

Have you been there? Are you there right now?

We are especially vulnerable during these times.

We are vulnerable to “messing up” with our children and our wife – doing harmful actions or speaking harmful words to them. We are too tired to give them what they need at the moment, or too tired to refrain from hurting them with our words or actions.

Instead we snap at them, wound them with our words or actions, or make a decision we would not have made if we weren’t tired.

During these times of fatigue, we are also vulnerable to our spiritual enemy.

At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, he went out into the desert for 40 days of fasting and “outdoor life” alone.

At the end of these 40 days, the Bible says he was tired and hungry. It was at that time that satan strategically came and tempted him. (Matthew 4:1-11)

This is a strategy satan uses against us men — awaiting for us to become tired or lacking in resources to tempt us. I have found this strategy effective at times in my own life. Temptations and pressures to fail as a father and husband come when I am tired or in a season of lacking resources.

These two can go hand-in-hand too.

Be aware when you are tired or lack resources. Be especially on guard during these times.

The strategy of your spiritual opponent will be active against you. Remain alert and self-controlled, taking impure thoughts captive.

Pray. Guard your heart. Use wisdom.

Stay committed to God, yourself, and your family during these times.

You can do it, because… you have what it takes. You really do.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” ~Philippians 4:13

Blessings to you and your family,

Joey Watkins

Founder, FamilyDads.com

A Bible Translation From The Language Jesus Spoke

Christians in the Eastern World have for centuries primarily read the Bible in Aramaic, the language that was spoken day-to-day during the lifetime of Jesus, his disciples, and the earliest Christians. Today, the most popular English translation of the Aramaic text is the Lamsa Bible on sale now at DadResources.com.

Where I am, it’s snowing right now. And for my kids, the word “snow” is synonymous with “fun.” I think if they had to choose between a day at a theme park or playing in the snow, they would probably choose the snow.

In a few hours, enough snow will have accumulated on the ground for them to spend the afternoon running and playing in the white stuff.

My work allows me the flexibility to spend time with my children when I want to — such as an afternoon in the snow. I am very grateful for this flexibility. It is one of the rewards of self-employment.

But I still have to make that choice to give my time to my family. I could just as easily spend my afternoon getting “caught up” on work, emails, and other pressing tasks.

My kids would still run out and have a good time without me.

But that’s just it. It would be WITHOUT DAD!

Years from now, when they are grown, I want my children to be able to look back on their childhood memories and remember the times when dad WAS there. I want to model that kind of fatherhood to them so they can model it to their children and pass it down for generations to come.

An absent dad is one of the most damaging things that can happen to a child. It is also one of the most effective tactics used today to break down the family and develop apathy and disrespect of children toward their fathers.

I pray you will have many opportunities this year to choose time with your children over your work, hobbies, and other distractions. Your work will always be there, but your children won’t.

Involving your children in your life and investing your time in their lives is something we family dads MUST do!

Blessings to you and your family,
Joey Watkins
Founder, FamilyDads.com

Choosing To Cheat is a book by Andy Stanley I highly recommend to dads who struggle with giving their family enough time or who aren’t in a position to do so because of their job responsibilities or workload.