We had our first child when I taught at Cahokia High School. It was the near end of my first year there, and I would spend only two years teaching there. I eventually tried to get out of teaching, but that’s for another time.
Since I had only read one book during my time K-12 (Of Mice and Men) and now that I was a Christian, I was an avid reader as the wife was pregnant with our first. I wanted to read to make up for lost time. I wanted to read to learn all the stuff I should have learned in school. I wanted to read because I didn’t know much about the Bible or the Lord. You get the idea.
Well, if there’s one thing an infant keeps a guy from doing, it’s reading. Edie needed love, affection, kisses, hugs, diapers changed, pictures taken, etc. When she was awake, I was awake: spending time with this gift from the Lord.
But I didn’t go that easily. It was hard for me at the time! I thought that we had to read everything God wants us to learn. New facts, read them. Interesting stories, read them. How to evangelize, read. How to parent, read. Christianity is a word-centered religion (it’s also the only true religion). Since we read the Bible everyday, we also go to books to explain the Good Book. It’s not necessarily a bad thing.
I overdid it though. Here’s what I eventually learned: God had more to teach me through fathering our first daughter than He had to teach me through the books I was reading. Though it was difficult to put down the books, it was so worth it. Turns out, people are more important than things! Edie was vastly more important than almost anything in my life. She needed time with me, so I gave it to her in mass quantities.
Where is God teaching you? Not what is God teaching you. We often don’t know what God is teaching us at the time. School is a place God is teaching you. The home as well. Maybe it’s Youth Group, or church or family functions. Are you fully invested? Or are you sitting on the sidelines and moping? Go all in and see what the Lord will do.
Mr. Klunick Tutoring 