I was driving home from church a few weeks ago, and it was son’s turn to ride home with me (yes, he and my daughter rotate). It’s always a fun-filled drive because he talks about everything you can imagine and then some.
He went silent for what seemed like minutes but was probably only seconds. I discreetly looked over at him and saw something that made me both smile and tear up at the same time.
I noticed he was trying to sneak a peek at me. My right hand was on the steering wheel and my left arm propped up on the window with two fingers hooked under the seal. He was copying me. Exactly. Our eyes quickly met. He gave me this look and grin that said, “I am doing what you are doing, Dad.” Amazingly, he used no words. Just that look.
I thought about living. I thought about his eyes. My daughter’s eyes. Children watch us. I am not always the best example. Life is tough and can sometimes get the best of me. I struggle with patience. I struggle with disconnecting from my phone. I struggle with being fully present.
That Sunday, God whispered into my ear by letting my eyes see a six-year-old wanting to do what his Dad was doing. I am being watched. I must fight through the struggles in order to win for the eyes of my children who want to do life like their Daddy.
Challenge accepted.
