Word Up!

Soleil was up late Tuesday night. This whole virtual learning thing has wreaked havoc on our daily routine. Bedtimes are a little bit (or in some cases a lot) later. Mornings are weird. No buses for pick-up, no rush to get showered and going in the morning. Soleil will stay up into the wee hours of the morning (if I don’t force her to unplug and go to bed) doing schoolwork and messaging friends. Tuesday was a late one.


I got home from volleyball practice at 10:30. Soleil was still doing schoolwork when I walked in. And she was getting ready to baptize herself in another assignment. When I went into Luna’s room at midnight to put more feed in her bag, Soleil was still up and going strong. I had asked her an hour earlier to begin winding down and to get ready for bed. Frustrated, I told her, “Good luck waking up in the morning for class. You can get yourself out of bed without my help. If you miss your class; that’s on you. Good night”. 


When my alarm clock woke me up at 4:30, I could barely see the time on the clock. I thought something was wrong with my eyes. Nope. Soleil had placed a sticky note on my alarm clock. It read, “Papa, please forgive me and please wake me up!” When I went downstairs to get my coffee, there was a similar note on my mug. “Papa, I need your help waking up. Please don’t let me miss my class”. That made me laugh!


There was a third note. An hour later, after my soak time in the tub I found it. It was on my bible!  You can read it for yourself.

Loud and clear, I got the message. I understood how important it was for her to be up in time for school. But it wasn’t the message on the sticky note, but where the sticky note was put that sticks out to me!!! Let me explain.


I not a perfect father. Better said, I am far from a perfect father. My kids know this. This have been on the receiving end of unjust consequences or bad mood lectures. They know what it’s like to feel rejected because I have a list of things I need to accomplish, and their request for my attention goes denied. As a Papa, I mess up. A lot. But every once in a while, I get it right! 

Back to the sticky note…It was on my bible! How great is that! When my daughter put a note somewhere she needed me to see, she put it on my bible! My coffee cup too, yes. I admit, I am an addict. But Soleil knew; if I put that note on his bible, he will see it in the morning. Why? She sees me read and study it every day. 

How awesome is that?!! That is the legacy I am leaving. You can’t put a price tag on that! My kids know I am committed to praying and reading my bible. Daily. Please understand, I am not sharing this to brag. Afterall, I just confessed to you how failure is a regular part of my parenting experience. But I share it with you because as parents me need to recognize how much our example matters. 

Titus 2:7 reads: “In everything, set for them an example by doing what is good”. As parents that should be our number one priority – to be an example for our kids of what following Jesus looks like, of what faithfulness looks like. What do your kids observe in you? What would they say is important to you? If they had to put a sticky note somewhere to get your attention, where would that sticky note be!!??


Peace and Goodwill eh!
Jacques

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