The Rocks

Monday

My child, don’t lose sight of common sense and discernment. Hang on to them, for they will refresh your soul. They are like jewels on a necklace. They keep you safe on your way, and your feet will not stumble. You can go to bed without fear; you will lie down and sleep soundly.
Proverbs 3: 12-24

I watched from a distance as he took her to the pond and picked up some rocks along the way. She giggled with delight as he threw a rock into the pond and encouraged her to do so. We were baby-sitting a friend’s daughter, not having any children of our own. I saw how easily children are entertained when they have your un-divided attention. Four years later, we had our first child and I learned this lesson over and over, usually with dirt, rocks and water.

Children and adults as well, generally just want time with loved ones, this is common sense, but so easily forgotten. Big expensive vacations and big expensive toys are not necessary to attain this goal. What people of all ages are looking for, out of life, is to be happy and content. Mistakenly, many times we wrongly believe a new toy, or a new place will bring about contentment. The goal of the new “thing” or place is to bring people together to bond. The reality is that people just need time together, looking into each other’s eyes when talking, not doing 3 things at once (ie: TV, texting and talking).

The example above is great for children, but for adults, a game of scrabble, a puzzle or a card game are all things that help people to bond. In this highly electronic world, it’s ok to do something old-fashion-ly fabulous. Do you need to plan to do things just a little differently? Do you need to un-plug? Should you plan some outside time or at least play more often? Is “Dancing with the Stars” more important than a family member or God?

Lord, help me to reserve time solely for spending time with loved ones and You, without doing anything else at that time.