Now Is The Time

I rarely remember my dreams of the night.  This morning, I awakened and my dream of last night was clear.  I want to share some of what I got from that dream.
I spent the night with my mom.  I am blessed that she is still alive, today.  The entire dream was just her and I.  She said something in my dream that resonates in my head.  "The time you spend with your children, now, is more important than anything else you can do."  Now let me clarify to you that the thing of greatest import to my mom is the relationship she has with my dad.  If that is healthy and strong then everything that follows, will be too.  So what she told me in my dream comes after her relationship with my dad but I already knew that beforehand.
I have spent some time thinking about my dream.  When I was a kid my parents did a really good job at rendering support.  I remember a time in junior high when I received an academic award.  That award was given to me in front of all of my piers, in a school assembly.  My name was called to receive the award.  I accepted it from the school principal and as I looked out into the audience, I saw my mom sitting in the back of the gymnasium with all of the other parents.  I wasn't aware that she knew about the award.  I was overjoyed.  My heart felt like it was going to jump out of my chest. 
That is only one instance of the support I received.
There are many things that can occupy our time.  You can begin to list them one by one.  I must say that when it comes to the support that our kids need, right now, those other things seem very insignificant.
I read an article that stated one of the greatest heartaches that teenagers currently feel.  They don't feel like their mom and dad are really there.  There is a lack of support because everything else in life has pushed parenting to the background.
I have long held out the opinion that while our kids are at home, I need to take every opportunity to attend their various functions to lend my support.
Our youngest daughter, Laurel, and I walked down the Jr. High School hallway, this week, and visited with each of her school teachers.  It was parent/teacher conference time at the school.  Becky and I alternate going to parent/teacher conferences.  It give us both the chance to visit with and get to know them better.  It also shows the teachers that we have something invested in our kids education.  I was so grateful for Laurel's efforts to be a great student.  I felt a great deal of gratitude for the teacher's efforts in teaching Laurel.
Becky and I believe that the support we give to our children will instill in them the belief and confidence that they can achieve anything if they want it bad enough.
So back to my dream.  My mom said to me, in my dream, that she was proud of the efforts that I was making in teaching my(our) children by the example they were seeing. 
Let me say this.  There isn't a project in this world that is important enough to overshadow the desire to support your children.  Another professional sporting event will be on the television tomorrow.  Turn off the T.V. and spend some time with your son or daughter.  The PlayStation can wait for another time.  Grab your bikes and a ball or two and make your way over to the elementary school playground.  When school is out, there is no one there.  The playground awaits you!  A Big Gulp is in your future.  Ask your teenage son to go for a ride with you in the car.  He's got a lot on his mind.  Take some time, today, to listen to him.  He needs a listening ear not a talking mouth.  Although it may not interest you, your teenage daughter wants to tell you of her future aspirations.  Take the time to hear all about today's cutest boy. 
The key is time.  Throw aside all of the worthwhile distractions and spend the time that is the most needed, right now.
There aren't any of us that have perfected what my mom taught me in my dream of the night.  She doesn't even know how important her insight is to me--and that was in a dream.  I love her so much and I have and will always value her opinion.
We need to give a special concerted effort to using the 'now' time.  I will do it and I hope you will too.