Here is a snippet of an article I'm writing for a magazine here in Tennessee. Have you experienced anything similar to this?
It has happened more than once: a ballgame has intricately lured me into a oneness with a sporting event taking place hundreds of miles away, when my wife, Kayci, decides to converse with me about an important matter. I’m too involved in the game to push pause on the DVR, but I’m also hesitant to tell my wife that she isn’t important right now. So, I attempt to do the one thing this moment can’t afford—I multi-task. It is one thing to talk on the cell while driving or listen to the ipod while jogging, but it is another thing to allow the emotions of a game to coincide with a conversation with my wife.
Kayci is far from ignorant. She has the intuition to know when I am really listening. The occasional “um…um” and emphatic “really” don’t fool her. In fact, it isn’t uncommon for her to gently say, “I need you to listen to me with your eyes.” In other words, it is time for me to put the game on pause and to be fully present in the moment.
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To say that this has happened to me on more than one occasion would be an understatement. As I have grown older; I have found this situation more with my children than my wife. My wife will give me subdual and not so subdual body language that tells me, I need to listen. Frankly, she is extremely patient and God was extremely good to me in sending her. The situation that I really need to watch for is when my teenage daughters approach me while I am watching the History Channel and say something like Dad, “How do you know when God is talking to you?” or “Dad how long did you and Mom date before you knew that you were in love”? When you see or hear an opening like this, you had bidder take it! (Jeff’s opinion: When you approach these subjects, teens may look at it as “Daddy is preaching to me again” and will more than likely tune you out.)
ReplyDeleteI have found that teenage cues are far more subtle and may be given only once and if you are lucky, twice. Generally, Teens will talk to parents; however, it will be on their terms and you better be intuitive enough to pick up on their cues. Your kids are going to get advise from someone…the question is…from who?
………..Theses are the ruminations of a middle age, husband, father and high school principal that wants desperately to live a life worthy of my calling. (See Ephesians 4:1)
Talent is God-given, be humble; fame is man given, be thankful; conceit is self given, be careful.
-John wooden
Been there before. Good seeing you this past week. Have fun in the ministry.
ReplyDeleteI have never struggled with giving attention to my wife versus sports. Good luck.
ReplyDelete-By Josh Graves