Adam and Noah both had calls on their lives too, but their calls were different than Abraham's. Adam was told to name all the animals. Noah was told to build the ark.
Back to Abraham -- his call was to be a father.
Oh, I am muddling this up. I bring this up because I want to illustrate that God places a huge importance on parenthood.
Many people are parents.
Many people who are parents didn't choose parenthood.
And there are people who want to be parents but aren't for some reason.
We can be parents and do a pretty good job at it without deliberately choosing to do it. We do things automatically. We provide. We discipline. We make sure our children are fed.
But I believe God wants more from parents. As He chooses us He wants us to choose parenthood deliberately -- to embrace the high call of parenting and see what an incredible and important and vital the roles of mother and father are.
If we've chosen to be parents everything we do should make us better parents.
Everything we choose to do, choose to think, choose to spend our time on should somehow equip us to be the parents God has called us to be.
Sometimes this means time away from the children.
Sometimes this means not choosing a certain job because that job will take us away too much even though it might pay tons.
Sometimes it might mean choosing a path that others just don't understand.
I know some question why I spend my days with Hawken, especially during the school year. I could put him in school. I could send him to Children's Care Hospital and School in Sioux Falls. If I did these things I could get a job away from home and make money for our family.
But it isn't what he needs.
And it isn't what the rest of my family needs.
One of my favorite little scenes from a movie is between Grandpa George and Charlie in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Please read below:
George: There's plenty of money out there. They print more every day. But this ticket— There are only five of them in the whole world, and that's all there's ever going to be. Only a dummy would give this up for something as common as money. Are you a dummy?
Charlie: No, sir.
George: Then get that mud off your pants. (gives two thumbs up) You've got a factory to go to!
Why would I choose "something as common as money" over time with my children?