At a recent parent teacher meeting, we discussed how working parents can model for our kids a healthy relationship with media and its related technology.
For self-employed people, technology is a necessary evil. I've been self-employed all my life, and we can't just simply turn off the phone and email. Our clients want us, need us, to be there for them. For example, if a call comes in, that could be an important client. And as a self-employed person, I've got to take that call. Therefore, by definition:
For a child, there's no such thing as a healthy relationship with evil, regardless of whether it's necessary or unnecessary. In all things, one must ask, "Does this contribute to my child's long-term well-being?" Learn more about how a man can take care of his children. Helen Keller was asked, "Is there anything worse than blindness?" She answered, "Oh, yes. A man with sight and no vision." Men who enjoy being providers for their families have vision. Kings have vision.
First and foremost, a great man will have vision. They'll see the big picture. They'll understand what's out there, over the next hill, and know what to do and where to go next. Some men climb high mountains, ride raging rivers, ski steep slopes, etc. But that's NOT what we're talking about here. We're NOT talking about the next awesome activity or experience with the family. We're talking about men having vision to lead others. A man must:
This is leadership. The King in Every Man The king in every man is always thinking and looking forward, planning for the future, and providing direction. Food, clothing, and shelter are relatively easy to provide. Having a awesome activity with the family takes little thought or heart. Any man can throw the kids and wife in the car and go somewhere fun. That's easy. But What Really Matters in Life But what really matters in life are not the easy things that we can do and see, but those things that are unseen. It's the unseen world, the spiritual world, the love of others, peace in our hearts, the joy in life, where men should must be master providers. Master Providers It is written that we should not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are unseen. The things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. Things such as:
These things are not seen, but great men possess them, provide them, and teach them (2 Corinthians 4:18). In this article, you'll learn how the measure of a man is the spiritual and physical health of his family. And for a man's family to be healthy, he has to have vision. In 2007, I moved my family from Pennsylvania to Colorado. We sold the house, gave away all of our possessions to our neighbors, put a mattress in my cargo van, threw the kids in, and took off to our new adventure. We left what was a comfortable life and set off across a vast country, right through the St. Louis Arch, just like the early American settlers did as they moved West into undiscovered country. Those brave folks, riding in their wagons, could not see all of the dangers ahead. They couldn't even see over the next hill. They didn't know when their next good, hot meal or cold drink of water would come. In order to survive, the men leading those explorers had hope, believing, and vision. A Man's Vision is His Family At the heart of a man's vision is his family. Look at your family. Ask yourself the following questions:
Man, King, Provider, Leader My family depends on me to set the course, give direction and take the lead. And, again, I'm not talking about scheduling the next cool ski run, camping trip, or awesome activity, dude. No. I'm talking about the big picture for your family. I've Got Their Backs No matter what's ahead, storms, floods, fires, perils, the unknown, I've got them. I've got their backs. They can count on me. In every situation, I'll be there for them. No matter what. I'll never leave them. And I'll always know what's ahead. At any moment, I know:
Rest assured. How to Measure a Man
You can measure a man by the spiritual and physical health of his family. Stu Weber, in his book Tender Warrior, says that a measure of a man is the spiritual and emotional health of his family. A man provides his wife a loving bond that does not break, raises his sons with character and tenderness and his daughters with confidence and life energy. You can tell a man has no vision, no leadership, when his family is lost, wild, struggling, sickly, just a bit "off," and has lost its way. A Pro-visionary Man
5-Year Plan
Life is Short You don't have much time, man. Life's short. Put on your big girl panties. Like now! The future is soon approaching. The kids grow up so fast. Your ages rises so quickly. The years pass by so fast. What you think is a long road ahead is actually, in reality, very short. We are given a gift to live on this Earth for a just brief moment in time. Don't get preoccupied with life-draining things-to-do lists, not matter how totally-f'n-awesome they seem to be (at the time). Most of what you think is important right now, just really isn't. STOP. Stop. Think. Think ahead. See. Set your thoughts and eyes ahead. Prepare. Lead your family. Develop Vision To help develop a sense of vision in yourself, respond to the following:
Conclusion Most men have sight, but no vision. What's yours? A measure of a man is the spiritual and physical health of his family. How's your family? A great man, like a king, must have vision for those he leads. Take some time, right now, to stop and think about how you're leading your family. If you need help, get with a buddy. Men, how do you show love to your woman? What are the small, little things that you do to show you love her, think about her, and want to share time with her.
Me? I like to make some hot coffee for my woman. I make it in the morning, before she comes into the kitchen. Sounds kind of simple and silly. Right? I ask her, "My love, may I pour you a hot cup of coffee?" She says, "Yes." And we sip, look at each other, and talk about the upcoming day. What little things do you do to show love to your lover? |
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December 2021
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