Third Snow

It's strange to get this much snow here, and we keep expecting it to get really warm now that it's spring, but it's snowing again this morning. Big flakes, but they aren't sticking. The ornamental pear tree in the back yard is already white with blossoms. The Dogwood Festival was supposed to start yesterday, but it was raining and cold and everything got cancelled. The dogwoods are not yet in bloom anyway, but the red-buds, pear trees and tulip trees are out. I took a vacation day from church since it's spring break, so I've been enjoying watching it snow.

You Gotta Want It

I've been thinking about what my friend, David, said to me on a work trip about ten years ago. We were in New Mexico installing phone booths at convenience stores. As a side note, those have mostly gone the way of the dinosaurs now that everyone has a cell phone. Anyway, I had to loosen a big bolt to remove the old phone so we could install a new one. I pushed on the wrench and nothing happened. So I repositioned myself and pulled on it. Still nothing. I couldn't budge it. So, I went and asked David for help. He came over and strained on the wrench for a second and, sure enough, it loosened. He handed me the wrench and said, "You gotta want it."
The next bolt I encountered, I pushed harder, putting my weight into it. This time, I got it loose. I really wanted it. I didn't want to have to ask David for help again. So I tried harder, straining beyond what I thought I could. I had to want it.
I've used that catch phrase many times this past decade. It's simple, yet profound. It applies to nearly every endeavor. You can't loosen a bolt without putting your weight into it and you can't overcome any other challenge without really trying.
What challenge are you facing right now? You can do it, but you have to be determined to make it happen. You can't put half of your heart into it and expect to succeed. Losing weight, stopping smoking, getting some exercise, completing a course, getting a golf-ball in the cup, scheduling a regular quiet time -- no matter the challenge, you gotta want it to make it happen.
Last week, my wife was commenting on the challenges of spending quality time with our busy daughter. Guess what I said?
So, what do you really want? Do you want to be the number one influence on your children? It's going to take hard work and sincere effort. Do you want your children to grow up well-rounded, well-functioning, with good self-discipline and an old-fashioned work ethic? You gotta want it. I want my children to be spiritual. I want them to make good decisions. I want them to put God first in every area of their lives.
But this isn't going to happen if I only try half-heartedly -- I gotta want it. I have to make decisions every single day that push toward that goal. Some days it is every bit as hard as pushing against a rusted bolt, but I want it to happen so I strain forward, not looking back and not giving up. If I fail at one bolt -- one challenge, I may even ask for help and then try again on the next one.
Ultimately, my children will make their own decisions about God and about life, but I do not underestimate my influence on that. Some days, I would like to be lazy about it and just say what I want to say or do what I want to do. But I can't forget what I really want and that keeps me going.
It's a challenge to get my children up and to church on time every Sunday, but I'm very aware that half-hearted commitment will lead to half-way-committed children. That's not what I want.
Do you want to be a good parent? It's not easy. Do you want your children to be happy and successful? It's not easy. Do you want to instill your values in them? It's a challenge. You can do it, but you gotta want it.

Bomber Planes!