For dad only:
Time to Chill Out
Whining babies, bratty boys, and needy girls might wear you down. Many dads get to the point of snapping at their wife, children, and the dog.
When things get to you and you just want to get away, it may be an indication that you are not spending enough time alone. You may need to get away. I do not mean go off for the weekend, but that should not be ruled out either.
Alone time is not punishment but restoration. This devotional on solitude should help you see your need for quiet time. I get my emotional reboot each morning as I get up an hour or two earlier than the rest of the family.
While not many Christians know about this spiritual discipline of solitude, Jesus lived it. We all need it. Get alone with God. Talk to yourself. Talk to God. Think through your day. Read scripture. Plan in the quiet and take your day by the horns before you start bucking out of control.
_________
Read this to the kids:
Skillful Solitude
“Awesome!” Rusty exclaimed, “I got a new bow!”
Dad smiled. “I saw how much you enjoyed using mine about month ago and I thought you might like one that was more your size.”
“A compound bow! Do I get to go hunting?”
Dad smiled. “Well, you have to be able to shoot a deer first.”
“I can, I just know I can!” Rusty said.
Mom smiled and said, “I believe you can, Rusty. But you better put in some practice first. You don’t want to miss a deer. That’s worse than not hunting at all.”
Misty was checking out the pom-poms on the bow strings and ooing and ahing over the neon colored sights.
“Okay,” Rusty said, “when can I start practicing?”
“Why not today?” Dad said, “I still have that big foam target. We’ll set it up out back.”
Dad took about an hour showing Rusty how to set his arrow on the string, pull back, aim, and get close to the center of the target. Most of it Rusty did well, except the last part.
“See, your arrow drops after you shoot it. You have to learn how far it drops depending on how far away your deer is. That’s why there are different settings on here. We are going to get you in practice for a deer within close range.”
Rusty emptied the quiver and marched up to get his arrows again.
“You are not getting discouraged, are you?” Dad asked.
“No, this is fun,” he said on his way back.
“Good. I’ve got to run take care of some business, so you keep working on your aim. When I get back, show me how much you have improved.”
“Okay, bye.” Rusty carefully set the arrow on the string, pulled back, hooked his hand by his mouth, and put the sight on the target.” Twish! the arrow flew through the air and hit the corner of the target paper. He pulled out another arrow. Steadily, he practiced on his shooting until the quiver was empty again.
Walking over to the target, he saw a groundhog poking its head up out of the ground. He watched for a minute. It did not see him. It walked along by the edge of the fence slowly. It stopped and sniffed the air. Soon it disappeared behind the shed.
Rusty looked up and realized what a sunny day it was. He breathed in the fresh air as he went to gather his arrows. The next time around, he got all of the arrows on target and one really close to the bull’s-eye.
• • •
A couple weeks later, Rusty was shooting really well and Dad decided to put all this practice to good use.
Rusty leaned against the window in Dad’s truck as it rambled through the countryside. They had just left a four-lane highway with lots of traffic, but out on this country road, it seemed like vehicles were rare.
Rusty watched as grassy fields turned into trees and then a thick forest. Rocks and hills shaped up into mountains. Once, Rusty pointed to the snow on a white-topped mountain and Dad nodded and grinned.
After traveling past quiet streams and peaceful ponds, Dad turned up a gravel road. Soon this road turned into a path with more pine needles than gravel and thick brush on either side. Finally the road disappeared altogether and Dad drove through empty spaces between the trees.
He parked by a big oak tree. Rusty climbed out and looked around. The air at that elevation felt cooler, but it smelled sweet with the swaying pine trees and rustling leaves. A cardinal flitted down on a branch to show off its laser-red feathers.
Before it got dark, Dad showed Rusty where he had hunted in this area before. They found two trees and climbed them to set up their deer stands. They would be where they could watch in all directions.
They set up their tent on the bed of pine needles that felt four inches thick. They gathered some rocks, cleared away some leaves and needles, and built a fire.
Rusty fished the pack of hotdogs out of the cooler and took charge of roasting them while Dad rigged up a pot of beans on the fire. Soon they were eating too-too hot beans with their charred-black hotdogs. Rusty swished his down with a bottle of water. Then he got out the marshmallows.
Dad lay back on the ground with his head against a rock. “Look at the stars,” he said in a tired voice. “They are never this bright at home.”
Rusty looked up and breathed the sharp night air. He zipped up his jacket, leaned back on a rock, too, and slowly enjoyed his perfectly-browned marshmallow.
• • •
As much as Rusty would have wanted to sleep in while snuggled up in his sleeping bag, Dad had to shake him gently. “It’s time to get in our deer stands,” he whispered.
Rusty climbed out of bed. It felt quite cold, so he pulled his camouflage hunting clothes over his pajamas. He and Dad pulled their bows and gear out of the back of the truck, where they had laid them out the night before. Dad shined his bright LED flashlight and they walked quietly to the tree stands.
Rusty was wishing they had eaten breakfast first, before going hunting, because his stomach was already starting to growl. He hoped the deer would not hear it.
Dad helped Rusty get up to his stand and then handed up the bow. Dad climbed into his stand and pulled up his bow with a rope. Once Dad shut out the light, the woods became really dark.
At first, Rusty did not like the darkness. He wanted to be closer to someone. He thought about Mom and Misty at home, warm. He leaned against the tree and tried to stare into the woods. Everything still looked dark and shadowy, but the mountain with the snowy peak was starting to glow around the edges.
The dark did not feel so bad when Rusty focused on the light growing around the mountain. Soon enough, the woods began to light up. Rusty could hear squirrels beginning to move around in the branches. Birds began to flit through the trees. The cardinal came and chirped for joy somewhere nearby. Rusty did not turn around to see where it was. He wanted to be still and wait, just like Dad had taught him.
Rusty could see Dad now. He watched how he turned his head slowly as he scanned the woods. Rusty tried to do the same. After looking around for a while, Rusty noticed Dad had lifted his bow. He looked in the direction Dad was looking. Slowly through the woods, a buck was walking and looking cautiously toward the camp area. The deer was between them and their campsite.
Rusty slowly lifted his bow and drew back on the arrow. Taking care to remember all he had learned, Rusty aimed the arrow. He knew the deer was still out of his range, but he waited. The buck walked a little closer, but it was hidden by the thicket. Rusty waited.
At last the deer walked out into the open and stopped to look for acorns. Rusty could see it was a big antler rack, but did not try to count them. Out of the corner of his eye, Rusty saw Dad nod his head. Rusty let the arrow go and watched it whoosh toward the deer.
Find out what happens next time.
_______
Now discuss it!
Do you enjoy getting alone or being with people?
What do you like to do when you are alone?
Where do you go? Why?
How does being alone help you think better?
Do you ever watch the clouds or look at the stars? What do you like the most about being in nature?
How does nature help you feel closer to the Lord?
_________
Read God’s Word together:
The Lord Alone
Then the Spirit led Jesus into the desert to be tempted by the Devil. (Matthew 4:1, Good News Bible)
Very early the next morning, long before daylight, Jesus got up and left the house. He went out of town to a lonely place, where he prayed. (Mark 1:35)
At daybreak Jesus left the town and went off to a lonely place. The people started looking for him, and when they found him, they tried to keep him from leaving. (Luke 4:42)
At that time Jesus went up a hill to pray and spent the whole night there praying to God. (Luke 6:12)
Jesus left the city and went, as he usually did, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples went with him. When he arrived at the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” (Luke 22:39-40)
Jesus knew that they were about to come and seize him in order to make him king by force; so he went off again to the hills by himself. (John 6:15)
_________
Let’s talk about it!
Why did Jesus go into the wilderness the first time?
Why do you think He kept going back often?
What do you learn from His example?
How does it help you grow to be around godly people?
What do you get from being alone with God that you would not get any other way?
How is being alone a chance to see yourself as you really are?
_________
Memorize it!
Proverbs 17:27
He that hath knowledge spareth his words:
and a man of understanding
is of an excellent spirit.