The Examined Life III

We started at the heart, at the center, and that was my relationship with God. Then, working out from the center, the next concentric circle is my relationship with my wife. Then the next level of calling is my children.

I once observed a family that we were close to as we both raised our children. They had some difficulties, not unlike us. But they took a different course. At age 18, they told their children that they were finished raising them, they were legally adults and that they needed to stand on their own. There is a principle of independence and not enabling that carries some validity, but this family did not accomplish that. I watched their children morally tail-spin from that point and now in their mid-20's they are only just recovering.

I will not invest time here to raising children. As much as I have dearly loved our children, invested in them and stayed engaged in their lives, I have not done well. There are so many people who have done so much better. Listen to them.

But I will add three things that I feel strongly about:

• Watch - be alert
• Ask questions and listen
• Pray - because it's not about you

Colossians 4:2 "Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving."