In the Grand Scheme of Things

So, another busy week started today. Early morning bus duty the first week back from Thanksgiving vacation! Late night basketball games..........

Like most parents I watched my bonus daughter closely during her game tonight. I tried to catch every small detail so that I could pep talk her later and help her improve her game. We talked in depth about many of the plays of the game and what she did well and could improve on. We also discussed the grades she received on her report card today. We talked about the importance of making good grades and what she could do to improve those as well.

But in the grand scheme of things, it's the love and goodness she has in her little heart that really matter.

As I shared with her the situation of my good friend, her eyes filled with tears. In that moment, I knew that all of the values we are trying so hard to instill in her are beginning to take shape. My friend will be embarking on a journey in the morning. She will be delivering her sweet baby boy and he will immediately be taken to a team of NICU cardiologists. His heart is sick and he will need surgery. My friend and her baby need all of the prayers we can afford them. Our God is still in the business of performing miracles and I believe that he will wrap them in his grace.

As parents we allow ourselves to become consumed by the stress of everyday life. Work, school, birthday parties, sports, etc. seem like they consume all of our time and energy. But in the grand scheme of things, most of the stresses of everyday life are insignificant. The problem is that we don't realize just how unimportant they are until we experience something overwhelming.

The truth is that no matter how many extracurricular activities we try to squeeze in our kid's schedule, no matter how hard we pressure them about keeping good grades, no matter how extravagant their birthday party is this year, what matters most is their heart. Nothing will have more of an impact on how they live their life than the values we teach them. I am much more proud of my little girl for the compassion she shows to others than I would ever be for a perfect report card. It means more to me to see her be selfless and understanding than to see her make a game-winning shot.