How My Girls Look At Me

My four-year old daughter was watching me work out the other day (which is very unusual, the working out part) and she started trying to copy me.  Every once in a while, she would start laughing and it would make me start to laugh.  As I stood there doing difficult, uncomfortable exercises, I realized that she was just acting out what she saw me doing.  And it made me start thinking about how our kids watch everything we do.  They want to be just like us.  One of the most important things that God has shown in my journey over the last two years is the way our kids look at us.  I have three little girls.  My girls look at the way I treat my wife and they see that as normal.  So, if I treat my wife disrespectfully by yelling at her, calling her names, or physically abusing her, my girls are going to see that as normal.  When they grow up and become a wife and mom, they are going to think that being yelled at, called names, or physically abused is normal.  Who in their right mind wants that for their child?  Just the same, if my wife screams at me or belittles me in front of my girls, they are going to see that as normal.  When they grow up, they are going to think they can do the same to their husband and that it is okay.  I always felt that I was a pretty good father, but I always knew I could be a better husband.  I never physically or verbally abused my wife.  However, I was never the shining example of what a husband should be like either. Today, I am very aware of what I say to my wife and how I respond to my wife when I am around my kids.  I hug and kiss on my wife in front of my kids as much as possible, not only because I love her and feel blessed beyond words to have her, but also because I realized the importance of the fact that I am the model of the man, husband, and father that my girls might someday marry. 

And Jesus said, “I will never leave you.  I will never forsake you.”  Hebrews 13:5