- living the dash (this blog has moved to livingthedash.tv)

If you have children…..or no children

If you have experienced loss or tragedy…..of if you haven’t

If you believe in God……or if you don’t

Watch the videos here

Thanks to Pete Wilson for sharing the videos…..but more importantly, thanks to Todd and Angie Smith for sharing your story.

I have 2 boys……..7 and 3 1/2. And they are growing so fast.

Lately, I have been trying to pay closer attention to some of the things they do, things they say, moments that we have together. Almost like mental snapshots so that I can remember those things when they are older.

This morning I had an unexpected special moment with my 3 1/2 year old.

He and I woke up before my wife and our older son. Nothing unusual about that. But today, instead of tuning into a cartoon or playing with his toys, he just sat in the bathroom with me while I got ready for work.

Here are a few things he said…..

Daddy, look how big I am. (as he stared at himself in the mirror)

Daddy, why did you grow faster than me?

Daddy, I want to go to your work with you.

Notes to self….He is watching me. He wants to be like me. He wants to know that I am proud of him.

The following line in this post by Mark Batterson caught my attention

I feel like part of my job as a parent is to create memories.

In my household we often fall into a pattern where……..

Tuesday looks very similar to Monday

the 3rd weekend of the month doesn’t look all that different from the 2nd weekend of the month

and the only big difference between March and February is the number of days

I want to break that pattern and ‘create memories’ for my children like Batterson suggests.

As parents, let’s create days…..weeks……and months that stand out from the rest.

Patterns are safe, comfortable, easy.

Stand out days, weeks, and months require effort and intentionality.