These are exciting times for our family: we celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary in July, we moved into a new house, and we are preparing to welcome Elijah Mason into this world in December. We are really starting to feel like grownups now!
In the midst of all of this excitement, I have been doing a lot of thinking about my impending graduation into parenthood. We have jitters about all that comes along with being parents, but we are both excited about parenthood. We want to provide Elijah with the best things he needs and wants, but our main desire is to be godly parents that raise him to be a man of faith. Frankly, that cannot take place unless we have a firm commitment to God and the church. Thankfully we have a number of examples in the Hamby family that have shown us how.
I know you are busy during the school year, but I encourage you to stand firm in your commitment to Christ and this church family. It is easy to get over committed with the many great opportunities that are available, but that does not mean that we should say "yes" to all of them. As I mature I have come to see that part of being committed to Christ and His church means saying "no" to some of these opportunities. If your family is not getting time to relax and grow as a family, it may be time to start learning how to say "no". Parents, your kids need downtime with you! You need time together as a family to strengthen family bonds, to study God's word, and to pray as a family.
So, as you get into the full swing of things this school year, I encourage you to be committed to saying "no". I know it is hard to do, but your family will thank you.
The Family Connection, Summer 2004 Home