The Blessed Mess

Photo by kike vega on Unsplash

For the most part I love the excitement the New Year has to bring, especially when I have been able to go through the current year, go over my personal words from the Lord, and lean in for the next year.

This past year it’s been a little different. One of the most stretching years I have ever personally endured, on multiple levels.

But just like stretching in general it’s not a bad thing.

Think about it at a very base level, when you stretched in P.E. in school it was most likely uncomfortable at first, as you worked the muscles, it probably hurt at certain points, but at the end you felt more loose. Stretching has so many benefits but it’s an active and uncomfortable ordeal…at least until you get to a certain point.

The same with any relationship that you want to be intentional with.

When parenting, it could be uncomfortable having certain conversations with your kids, apologizing, or even simply being the parent you wish you had as a child.

Parenting involves us doing things that we do not necessarily want to do but we know it’s the right thing to do and that it’ll eventually be beneficial in the long-term.

But in the moment it’s uncomfortable and challenging.

My biggest challenge right now is letting my kids be kids. I always try to tell them “no don’t do that, it’ll make a mess” and often times I prevent them from playing because I am concerned about a “mess”.

If we aren’t allowed to be a kid when we are young we will eventually be a kid when we are grown.

You ever wonder why sometimes a person you may know makes the most wild decisions. The choices they make just don’t make sense. Sometimes that can be a product of them not being allowed to be a kid.

If you grew up in a home that was dysfunctional in that sense you have to learn how to play as an individual.

Everything has its balance but if we don’t create an environment that fosters play for our kids while they are young and in need of it, then they will eventually learn to “play” in an environment that is outside of our control, and possibly their control.

Let the kids make a mess, let yourself make mess, and be intentional in creating your own fun.

For more Intentional Relational advice check out my wife and I material by clicking here.