Parenting or Providing?

A young mother gives birth to her baby girl and immediately sends her baby to their own country so she can work. A father almost never sees his children each day because of too much busyness in his business. Numerous overseas foreign workers leave for high paying jobs at the expense of presence in the lives of their children's growing up years. Today, many parents, in the effort to make ends meet and support the family, lose sight of God-ordained parenting responsibilities.

Dr. Bob Barnes writes: "Establish daily: 'What's the priority, parenting or providing?' You need to decide to sit at your children's bedside and talk with them tonight and do the laundry later—even though you are exhausted. Then, you need to make the decision to choose parenting first again tomorrow night, or there may be nightmares later on when the kids are out of control because there was no nurturing parent; there was just a provider.'"

It can be draining and discouraging to be "supermom" or "superdad." But I remember how great and mighty God is! He does not expect us to do this on our own strength.

"GOD's love is ever and always, eternally present to all who fear him, making everything right for them and their children" (Psalm 103:17 Msg).

"Dear God, show me how to arrange my busy mind and my busy schedule so that I always put God-pleasing things first—like snuggling up and laughing with my children! Amen."