Rev Jeff Sample Guest Speaker and Poster

I am a husband, father of 2 (24 and 21), and a Papa Buddy to Kaden and Kenzi. Looking back as a father, I have plenty of do-overs – it’s inevitable! All or at least many of the things your parents said to you and you thought you would never say to your children have a way of coming out.

My do-over in part include:

• Wishing I had said yes whenever possible – sometimes our first unthinking response spoken in frustration is no.
• Wishing I had been more principle-centered – less concerned about managing the moment for my sanity and more focused on larger principles – parenting with an end in mind.
• Wishing I had distinguished between maturity and heart issues that needed to be corrected
• Wishing I would have just relaxed about parenting – honestly, you are not one or two or more decisions away from turning out sociopaths!

New parents receive plenty of advice. Sometimes we feel or know the silent (or not so silent) evaluation of our parents and in-laws and maybe others. But if there is any advice I may suggest in looking back it would be these two things:

1. Focus on keeping a marriage centered home – children will grow up and leave; it’s the natural process, but the marriage will remain.
2.  Draw strength from taking care of your heart – for good reason the command to be filled with God’s Spirit is before marriage, children, and work in Ephesians 5:18 – 6:9. We often need a greater strength and grace than we can muster in rearing children. God will provide.

Thanks so much for the privilege yesterday.
Rev. Jeff Sample