The other day, Sarah and I were having a serious discussion about our financial goals, leaving us frustrated and annoyed. I was extremely upset with myself as I struggled to push my understanding of money responsibility to a point of clarity that I haven't been able to reach yet in my life. I've been praying and pontificating over these issues for a while and it finally hit a pinnacle at that moment. I put my face in my palms and tried to keep it together, but something unexpected happened. It was a simple, honest, gentle answer to my problems, the answer to a question I wasn't asking.
What happened caught me by surprise.
As I sat there boiling with anger, my daughter waddled over to me and laid her head on my knee. She stared at me with those big blues, she smiled and proceeded to melt my heart away. I wasn't asking the right questions. Better yet, I wasn't SEEKING the right solutions. It is always about what we can afford, what we should and shouldn't spend money on, how to resolve financial obligations we have made. I needed help. Except, I really didn't.
The answer was right in front of me, all 26 pounds of chunky innocence, wanting me to forget all that other mess and focus on her. In the end, family is the most important thing in life. I know it's cliche, but most cliches are true. I wasn't focusing on what I go to work for. I wear my fingers to the bone for my kids, not for new cars, fancy eating plans, expensive restaurants and such. If I gave my all to ensuring the safety and future of my kids, I would be demonstrating financial responsibility. Here's the twist: this isn't a post about money. It's about my kids and how they challenge me, yet reward me every second of every day. When I seek the answers to life's issues, I always come back to them. They matter the most, period.
Being a dad is the most complicated and trying experience I've had to go through. Some days I want to quit, or mostly just eat outside in the peace and quiet. Even on the hardest days, though, my kids are the biggest blessing that God has ever bestowed upon me. They are the greatest reward for all of the crap in life we have to deal with. Remembering your kids in a time of frustration can really help you calm down, and be thankful for the awesome responsibility of being a parent. Most parents know these things, and I am stating mostly obvious stuff here, but I felt it necessary to reiterate how important my children are to me.
You see, being a parent is more fun than any nightclub or bar. Kids are more exciting than all that traveling you want to do before setting down. They are more rewarding than finishing a marathon or having a ripped body. They are more important than any problem you can possibly face. God is the Father, and he loves us more than anything. This is passed on to us. Being a parent is the purest form of love, therefore, I believe it to be the greatest reward for all of life's challenges.
