The Importance of Family

The Importance of Family

There are moments in each of our lives that change us. Since last November such moments have occurred in my life. Since I was a young child I was used to a busy lifestyle, but we always made time for family. As an adult balancing all the parts of my life had become a necessity, more of a second nature to me. It was what I did between teaching school, being a youth group leader, a graduate student, a wife, and a friend. Somewhere I had lost a sense of making time for family and the importance of connecting with my husband, my parents, and others close to me. They had all gotten lost in my life and taken a back seat to the things I thought I needed to accomplish each day.

Two events changed my perspective on this. One day in November of 2007 I had avoided turning on my cell phone after school in an effort to get more work accomplished. When I finally turned it on, I received a message that my father-in-law had fallen from the top of a semi-trailer. As I sat with my husband and his family at the hospital that evening, I started to see how my busy life had pulled me away from what really mattered. After that I left school a little earlier. I sat with my mother-in-law and talked more. I hung out with my father-in-law. But still I found that my busy schedule snuck up on me again.

In February 2008 I was shaken out of my busy life again when another unexpected event occurred. An unplanned day off due to the snow made it so I was there when my husband collapsed with carbon monoxide poisoning. As I sat with him at the hospital that night I praised the Lord for His providence and grace in slowing me down and giving me that day with my husband so I could have many more. God slowed me down that day and showed me what a gift family is.

I am still a teacher, a graduate student, a youth group leader, a wife, and a friend. But I have started to come home on time, eat more meals with my husband, say no to extra projects, and take a deep breath and sit down to call my mom or dad despite hundreds of things around me that should be done. I have found there will always be more papers to grade, papers to write, events to plan, groups to join, dishes and laundry to do. The world and busyness will always be there but family may not always be. So this is what I believe; that family needs should always take priority over my busy schedule.