Field of Dreams – Parenting 101
Like many parents I had high hopes, dreams perhaps that my son or daughters would make it to the big leagues; a college standout, perhaps even a pro ball player. Reality is that approximately 1 in every 200 high school baseball players or .05% will be drafted by a major league team. Not very good odds!
Undoubtedly we shared lots of great times and family memories on the ball fields and ball courts. We collected more than our fair share of championship hardware (now safely boxed up in the attic). None of my kids made it big — or did they?
I suppose it all depends on how you define your familial Field of Dreams. Often as parents we succumb to a popular culture of what or who our kids should become. Money, success, popularity, notoriety will dot the landscapes of high school graduations and church senior Sundays.
What is your Field of Dreams for your kids? For Sharon and I early on we felt called to journey on a road less traveled. We desired more than anything for our kids to know and build a life giving relationship with the God of the universe.
Man did we have our ups and downs! I tell people our kids learned from the things we did right, but perhaps even more so by the things we got wrong.
A few years back I ran across a piece of artwork that captured well our family’s ethos. I purchased one for all of our homes and now it’s displayed prominently in each. It says:
“In our home we do second chances, we do grace, we do real, we do mistakes, we do loud really well, we do I’m sorry’s, we do hugs, we do family, we do love.”
These words parallel the Scriptural encouragement to teach our kids the truths about who God is:
“Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” — Deuteronomy 11:19
Recently I was reminded of this value by another blogger, my son Chad as he blogged on “Baseball Stadiums and Gratitude”. It’s a good read, you should check it out.
https://themustains.wordpress.com/2015/05/04/baseball-stadiums-and-gratitude/
As I write this blog today, I too am grateful. Not because of what my kids have accomplished (and they’ve all done quite well) BUT for who they are becoming, passionate followers of the God of the universe. — And that has been Sharon and my Field of Dreams!
Be blessed,
Jim
John 1:14
These words are beautiful and well stated. I’m forever grateful to be on this journey with you. I love you.