I hope and trust this post finds you having a great day on this beautiful, soggy on the Gulf Coast, Friday morning!
Earlier this week I was listening to the radio and someone said, "what you water grows; what you don't withers and dies." Man, it hit me like a 2 x 4 upside my head! Now, this is something I already know - it is something you already know - however hearing it jolted me. What I water grows; what I don't withers and dies...
There are so many different directions we could go with this from here. This statement truly touches on everything in our lives. I want to drill down on a few and then touch briefly on a few others.
1. Faith
What or where are you putting your faith? What is your water source? Are you pursuing God, His word, what He says about you? Are you watering your faith, your hope, your belief? What are the things you are reading, listening to and saying to yourself? These are your water sources. Are you watering your faith, your hope, your belief? I can't tell you what you should put your faith in, where you should place your faith, your hope, your belief. I can only be your friendly reminder that what you water grows; what you don't withers and dies. If you water your faith, your hopes and your beliefs you will grow in your faith, your hopes and your beliefs.
2. Marriage
This is weird; marriage is something that has to be said here and at the same time it is something that doesn't have to be said here. With the divorce rates being where they are, with the broken hearts and spirits of so many, it is quite clear that a whole lot of folks haven't been watering their marriages. Isn't it interesting, in all relationships really, how we have the answers for what everyone else should be doing, how they should be living...well, what are we watering? If I want my relationship with my Beautiful Bride to grow I have to pour into her, serve her, address her wants, needs, cares & concerns...I have to water the relationship. The very nature of watering is the emptying of one into another. It is not about me! It is about serving my Bride, giving her what she needs - water - to grow to become all she has been called and created to become. It is about giving our relationship the water it needs. It is so, so...dumb that we expect to empty our bucket of water in other places and yet expect that we are going to come home to happy, blissful marriages. This hits hard - at least to me! - in this context; what you don't water withers and dies. If I don't water the relationship with My Girl it will wither and die.
3. Kids
Oh the sweet joy of being a Dad! It really is true that you find parts in your heart that you didn't know existed until you have children. The feeling when you walk in the door, you hear a little voice so excitedly scream "Daddy!" and run into your arms - throwing their whole little selves at you - and wrapping you in a soft, squishy hug...unbelievable! Whether you were a success or failure during the day, what you did, where you were...none of it matters. You are my Dad, you are home and I love you...completely unconditional. We need to water these precious little spirits, these precious little souls! There are two things here; 1. our relationship with our kids and 2. the lives that God has entrusted to our leadership, guidance and protection (reread that one and see if it doesn't send chills down your spine!).
- Our relationship - Just as with our spouses, the relationship with our kids has to be watered or it will wither and die. It is sad, interesting, funny - I don't know the right adjective - to hear people talk about how they spent all their time at work, or doing something else, and in the next sentence they will bemoan the fact that they don't have a relationship with their children or they will wonder aloud how come their children have turned out how they have turned out. It really isn't complicated at all; if you want a relationship with your kids, water the relationship with your kids. Again, it is about emptying, not trying to get your bucket filled by them. They want you, they want to be with you and in all honesty, they need you. Sadly, if you fail to water the relationship long enough, they will go find other places to get watered.
- The lives entrusted to us by God - Our kids are not here to serve us. Just like you and me their precious little lives have value, meaning & purpose. It is our honor & privilege as parents to help them find their value, meaning & purpose and to grow to become all that God created them to become. Are we watering that - their value, their meaning & their purpose? Are we encouraging them, empowering them and equipping them to become the best they are capable of becoming? I know I am being redundant however it has to be said; it is about emptying, not filling...it is about them, not you or me! It is their life, their value, their meaning, their purpose! What you water grows, what you don't withers and dies.
This whole thought, idea is really very powerful. While I have highlighted a few things that are critically important to me, I also wanted to touch on a couple of others - the whole concept is really limitless.
- Goals & Dreams - will you pursue them or will you allow them to wither and die?
- Fears - are you going to feed them or will you allow them to wither and die?
- Differences - what are you going to water - the thoughts and ideas of the differences or the love & respect of another soul striving to do the best they can in this world?
Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always be willing to help you any way I can.
Have a great day, a wonderful weekend and please cherish your precious families.
Kev
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