Reset/Update

Dear Dad-

Over the last few weeks I was faced with challenges. Challenges with making sure I am doing my best to make a positive impact despite the disrespect I am receiving. I was also faced with parenting challenges. Parenting challenges of making hard decisions, having your children own their mistakes, having them take responsibility and learn from that mistake or failure even though it hurts them and me. After the past three weeks I needed a rest. I needed silence at home to reset and refuel. God had his hands in the planning. Two weekends ago was butchering weekend, so on Thursday JJ and the kids left. Dad, where do you think I went Thursday as soon as they pulled out of the driveway? You guessed it…to my safe place. Mom asked as soon as I walked in if I had run away. I had a great visit with her and then with Andy too. I needed that time at our house. Then Friday through Sunday afternoon I rested in quiet at my house.

I think many of us need to slow down and honor this time. So many times our schedules have us running here and running there. We do not listen to what our bodies need. For some reason we rate ourselves and others on how busy we are and how busy our kids are. If we do not have 5 places to be many think you are not doing life right. I know if you had the chance (just one more time) you would tell everyone there is so much more to life. You would tell us to slow down and enjoy the simple things. I do not know why we don’t allow ourselves to have these resets. Resets to clear our minds, to listen for nudges, or maybe just to catch up on sleep. Think about the resets and updates we do on our smart phones and other electronic devices. Many of us schedule an update to happen at a certain time on our smart phones. How many of us have an update/reset time scheduled for us personally in our own planners? Or think about how we charge our smart phones every night. What are we doing to recharge ourselves so that we can show up to be our best for ourselves and our loved ones?

Dad, my friends and I need to start taking better care of ourselves. Each one of us should be scheduling that reset/update time. Maybe some of us do not even know what to do for that reset time. The first step is to figure that out right, Dad? I know what you would say….just go fishing. Dad, I know I complained a few times of the fish smell in the house when it was too cold for you to clean fish outside. Or when you would yell at my cats for jumping up on the picnic table when you were cleaning fish outside. Sorry for complaining. Sorry for not going fishing with you more. I might sunbath more than I would fish, but I would love to be able to go just one more time. I would love to be able to watch you fish with the kids. I would love for you to see Dillon and Lia catch a big one. I would love for them to be able to go fish with you, have time to reset, have some great fishing stories to tell, and end the trip at an ice-cream shop. I would love to see that smile when you tell the fishing story. I love you Dad. I hope you are fishing every day in heaven.