Too busy?

Posted on October 2, 2007 
Filed Under Marriage, Parenting, Personal, Spiritual Life

I like to think I’m doing okay as a dad, although I am acutely aware of my shortcomings. Particularly in the earlier years, I was too busy and not engaged enough with my children. Got caught up with work commitments, pursued further education, took up some time-consuming hobbies. Nothing that caused me to be a neglectful father, but some of it - especially the cumulative effect - took me away from my family more than I care to admit.

Can you relate?

I think - think - I am better at balancing time and commitments these days. I guess if you want to check me on this, ask my wife and my kids.

Today’s broadcast features a man’s candid admission that he was in deep trouble as a father. When his own son shared with him, he was somewhat stunned: “Dad, you were never home for dinner. You popped in and out for vacations because you were always marrying somebody or burying somebody or holding some revival.”

At that moment, my coworker, Rev. H.B. London, realized he had made the same mistake as his own father: He placed his ministry and his church ahead of his family. Although this message was originally delivered to an audience of pastors, it is relevant for every father who is juggling a variety of work and family commitments.

The funny thing is this: The man who is too busy with work or hobbies, who is not balancing life very well, who is in trouble as a husband and dad, is probably not going to listen to this program.

Are you too busy?

Comments

One Response to “Too busy?”

  1. W. Mark Whitlock on October 3rd, 2007 8:10 am

    Isn’t it amazing that even Christian ministry can pull one away from one’s first ministry? May we never get too far out of whack.

    John, you’re a good husband and father. God is working through you. Keep depending on Jesus.

Leave a Reply

Comments are moderated and will not appear on johnfullerblog.com until they've been approved. While we are eager to facilitate conversation by publishing most comments, we may withhold one from time to time if we deem it offensive, vulgar, overly personal, cynical, disrespectful, irrelevant, redundant or unnecessarily contentious.
Comments on John Fuller's blog may not refer specifically to any current electoral candidate, or any measure on a current ballot – at any level of local, state, or federal government. Focus on the Family is a non-profit 501(c)(3) entity, and therefore cannot take a position on specific votes. Nor can we display any such statements on our Web sites. Likewise, we cannot discuss here the personal viewpoints of people like Dr. Dobson or Jim Daly on political candidates or ballot measures. Any posts to this forum which violate these rules will be removed. There is an alternative venue for this type of discussion. Some activities of this nature are undertaken by Focus on the Family Action, a 501(c)(4) organization, and its media outlet, Citizenlink. Citizenlink maintains an Election Forum of its own, where political discussions are allowed and welcomed so long as they comply with the posted guidelines.
Finally, if you would like to contact our ministry directly, please feel free to do so from one of our FAQs.