MOVING FORWARD - pastor mike landry

My family always adds so much to the quality of my life. Whenever we get together it is a hodgepodge of fun and laughter, teasing each other, eating, playing video games (this year it was the Wii), telling stories, sharing dreams, staying up later than normal, and hoping the moment doesn't end. I am a blessed man. The FAMILY FUN FORMULA works.

Of course, I don't mean that everything is perfect...in fact it's far from it. This year, there were two dogs who invaded our dog free home. This added new odors, new stains in the carpet, much more noise, and lots of fur...not necessary found on the heads or backside of the dogs either. Two of my grown and now married children have gotten dogs in the last year and felt compelled to bring them. I really believe they were simply demonstrating their newfound independence and retaliating for a childhood lifetime without dogs.

That's not to say that we never had a dog while they were kids. We got a Collie pup when they were all under the age of 8. They remember the licks, the playful antics, and the soft fur. I remember the barking, the twice destroyed air conditioning unit, and the many messes that I had to clean up. Fortunately for me, that dog needed more room to run and we soon gave him to a family that lived on a farm.

Back to the point. What's this got to do with our FAMILY FUN FORMULA?

Dealing with the undesirable, the unexpected and the unplanned is a major component of our Family Fun Formula. I'm constantly challenged to be flexible and experience new things. The formula requires messes, tension, and a willingness to move outside my comfort zone. The great thing about kids is that they are uniquely equipped to provide all of the above...and in my case, they don't hesitate to involve their dear ole dad. I don't necessarily want to do what they propose or put up with all the antics but I'm learning to bend...with a little help from my wife (who is unapologetically a co-conspirator with my children).

As a result, I had tons of fun bowling, golfing, and boxing while playing Wii. The dogs were entertaining and I had a big grin on my face each time they wrestled each other. I even loved it when they would snuggle up to me waiting to be petted.

But the best part...as I'm stretching and trying to be flexible, I find myself overwhelmed with joy and pride when I see all our kids having a ball and enjoying being together. Now that they've all headed back to their homes I find myself remembering the smiles, the laughter, the teasing, the hugs, the dreams shared, and the hopes expressed. The messes, odors, and barking are fading. I look forward to the next time together...but will I survive? I keep getting older...