T-I-M-E Spells Love

He Said:

This morning I read a really good article about spending time with children. It was in the July Ensign, on page 13. It made me think about the time I spent with my parents individually.

Ever since I was little I remember being outdoors with my dad. I had so much fun camping with him and my older brother Mike every summer. We would usually go fishing, rifle shooting and hiking. I really enjoyed bonding with my dad and brother up in the mountains. I agree with what President Uchtdorf says, "In family relationships love is really spelled t-i-m-e, time." I think about the time that I have wasted that I can't get back and wish I could have a mulligan and start all over, but when I have children of my own I want to spend as much T-I-M-E with them as possible. I know I say that now and it will probably change later, but I think there are core times in children lives that are very important.

I know I wish my mom and dad were there more than they were at times, or if they were there to be more involved with personal things. Don't get me wrong I have great parents and they raised me well (If you ask them they probably think they failed because how rotten I was, but that is a whole different story)! They loved me so much and supported me in SPORTS all the time, but I wish sometimes we could of just talked more. I always got the lecture about sports and how I could of done better, especially from my dad (which I wish I would have listened then about). I think I was always so busy with sports growing up that even if my parents wanted to talk with me they couldn't. If I could go back I wish we would have cut back with the sports and hung out more as a family. I think it would have been fun to pick up a talent such as guitar, piano or country dancing. That way we had something we did together without a lot of competition and stress.

I think I am the way I am because of the time I spent with my parents, but I wish I had more one-on-one time with both my mom and dad to just sit and talk. I really liked in the article the experience about the dates the two parents would do with their kids. I want to try and apply this with my kids so that they can feel that love from Courtney and I, as well as be open about problems they are going through.

I am grateful for my parents and for the way they brought me up! I have grown so much from their examples and experiences. I hope that this little post doesn't sound mean at all, but just a journal of some feelings that came out while reading this wonderful article. I hope I can apply these principles someday, when we are blessed with kids.

I LOVE YOU FAMILY!