What? I'm not old enough to have a child in middle school. Never mind some of my friends from college have kids ready to start college. Never mind that I know all the words to the themes from Gilligan's Island and the Flintstones. Something doesn't seem right about this.
Sure I'd like to say this is all about my feelings for my oldest girl knowing that I have to do this again next year with my other, but in reality, its all about me. It was easy to preach about parenting yesterday. I remember the first time I broached the subject as a pastor; I had no child of my own, and I know people looked at me with a sense of "just wait, buddy." In the middle of it all, it is easier to seem like more of an authority, but today I sit here with myself in a little pity party asking myself if I really want my girls to grow up. I'm no authority; I struggle with it as much as anyone.
I want the best for my children. I want them to pursue God above all other life pursuits, but putting one into middle school reminds me that my control has diminished greatly. I'm left with one word for the day...influence. John Maxwell has always stated that leadership is influence. Control begins to give way to influence. What type of influence am I on my children? It is time to find out if the preacher has the ability to lead in his home. I hear those same people, "just wait buddy."
