This week T.J. Lane stormed into Chardon High School armed with a .22-caliber handgun and went on a shooting spree starting at 7:30a.m. After T.J.’s rampage, the death toll rose to three while several others recover in the hospital.
Can I just rant for a second…
I am sick and tired of these school massacres! I am disgusted that T.J’s parents led him down this path! Yeah, that’s right! (more…)
Sometimes parents just HAVE to work too freakin much!!
There you go. I said it. It’s out.
Sometimes parents just HAVE to work long hours…
Sometimes parents have to talk on the phone at soccer practice…
Sometimes parents have to check e-mail at inopportune times… (more…)
Last week my oldest son called me out!!
I tried to deny it. I tried to talk my way out of it. I tried to excuse away my behavior.
But at the end of the day… HE was right! I was wrong!
If you take a stroll through the EpicParent archives, you will see several posts where I encourage parents to give their kids’ permission to disagree with them as well as respectfully confront them.
And Mr. Coletrain Spradlin took his dad’s advice and he called me out!
Our conversation went a little something like this…
Train: “Dad, what’s wrong?”
Me: “Not exactly sure what your talking about?”
Train: “It just seems like you’re not very happy anymore. You don’t do stupid stuff that makes me and my friends laugh as much as you use to.”
Me: “Have you talked to your brother and sister about this? Have they noticed anything?”
Train: “No, but my best friend, Travis, said something about it last week. He just said ‘your dad’s not as much fun to be around as he used to be?’”
Ouch!!! I hate to admit it, but Train was right.
I think that a couple of years of playing Mr. Mom & Mr. Dad (while my wife attends nursing school), trying to get several EpicParent projects off the ground, seeing my wife very little over the past couple of months and a fairly crazy season at work has just zapped my joy!
Have you ever gone through a season like this?
A season where life, work, demands and stress takes over and wipes the smile from your face?
Or am I the only one? Come on, don’t leave me hanging!!
Here are a few verses that have encouraged me during this season of life…
“Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10
“There I will go to the altar of God, to God—the source of all my joy.” Psalm 43:4
“Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires.” Psalm 37:4
“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!” Philippians 4:4
So as I was talking to God about my joy problem today, He reminded me that…
When my joy is in anything or anyone other than Him, it can be stolen or taken away because everything that brings me “joy” apart from Him is temporary. When my joy is in Him alone, it cannot be taken away or stolen!
So…
To all those tired, discontent, stressed, worried, over worked parents out there…the boat, big house, vacation, time off, large church, professional title, having kids that can play 3 instruments and start on the basketball team…this stuff is temporary and will not bring you joy.
It may be time for you to simply place your focus back on HIM!
Are you in a season where you have lost your joy? If so, I would love to hear your story?
If you liked this post, you should also check out…
Today’s post is from my good friend Michelle Clark, also known as Miss. Banana Pants.
Michelle is a friend from the Oklahoma City area and she has a deep passion for being a great mother, loving wife and making people laugh! If you have never met her or connected with her on Facebook, she is freaking hilarious.
You can check out her blog HERE.
And I would love it if you would LIKE Miss. Banana Pants on Facebook, you can do that HERE.
Michelle, thanks for posting at EpicParent again!!
So here’s Miss. Banana pants… (more…)
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