Happy Friday, Friends!
I hope and trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious new day begins to dawn in my Sweet Home Alabama! 😊 Hard to believe it is already November, and the 307th opportunity of the year! Hey, it doesn’t matter what we have done with the other 306 opportunities, the only one that matters is this one! 😊
This week’s Happy Friday is simply going to be a reminder. Earlier this week I came across this quote:
“Sometimes it is harder for us to smile at those who live with us, the immediate members of our families, than it is to smile at those who are not so close to us. Let us never forget; love begins at home.” – Mother Teresa
So good, and possibly convicting, isn’t it? Let’s not forget, Friends! Yes, our vocations are important and many of you who are reading this are doing critically important work. We must never forget, however, that the most important work any of us will ever do is within our own homes. I truly believe that I can be a smashing success at work, however if I have not loved my wife and sons well, I have failed. How about you?
And I don’t want this Happy Friday to be a “you gotta get your priorities in order!!!” type of message. As I type these words, I think of the Casting Crowns song Slow Fade. The chorus says:
It’s a slow fade when you give yourself away
It’s a slow fade when black and white have turned
to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be
paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
It’s a slow fade, it’s a slow fade
*While I do realize neglecting our families is not what Casting Crowns was talking about with this song, I do think it illustrates the point quite well.
No, this isn’t a guilt trip kind of message but rather a “hey, let’s pause for a moment and take stock of things.” I have absolutely been there where I was slowly fading away. It was just a season I told my wife and sons… “when this busy season of life is over we will be able to play catch, I will be able to be home earlier.” And then that season turned into, “I really can’t take a vacation this year because there is just too much to do.” And on and on it went until one missed vacation became a second missed vacation and the days and hours never got shorter. Thankfully I corrected that course and that is exactly what I am encouraging you to do today if you reflect and find you are fading. I also do want to acknowledge that there are brief seasons where we do have to make some sacrifices. The key is the seasons should be brief and we should be able to consistently honor those in our own homes first. If not, I would strongly encourage us to consider if the job is worth it. We are sacrificing precious souls for it!
As we aspire to make a significant difference in whatever our chosen field of endeavor, I want to encourage us to never forget to make a difference in our homes first. Let’s be as intentional with our spouses/partners and children as we are with everyone else. Another Kev confession: I will never forget the day several years ago Kathy said to me, “You spend all your time helping others become leaders, what about us?!” That convicted my Spirit deeply and changed how I have lived my life from that moment forward.
So, 307 is here! Each one of us will choose what to do with this day. Please don’t spend a moment beating yourself up or regretting the past…simply live this day fully – relentlessly pursuing your purpose and loving, caring for, and serving others…beginning in our homes first.
I will close with a few quotes:
“The most important of the Lord’s work that you will ever do will be the work you do within the walls of your own home.” - Harold B. Lee
"Your accomplishments in business will not be on your tombstone. But your family will be." – Unknown
"A man should never neglect his family for business." - Walt Disney
"The most important thing in the world is family and love." - John Wooden
Please don’t hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.
Have a great day, a wonderful weekend, please cherish your precious family, and please stay well! 😊
Kev
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