Dear Evan, Adeline, and Malina

22 minutes.

That’s about how long one of your T.V. shows lasts without commercials (or at least it was when I wrote this). It’s not very long. But in that short period of time, most of life’s situations appear to be fixed, changed, or overcome.  That’s the problem with television shows. It’s not that they show too much, it’s that they don’t show enough.

T.V. doesn’t show you that sometimes decisions you make have consequences that may continue on for years. A 22 minute episode doesn’t show you that trust, once it is broken, takes a long time to earn back.  A cast of (seemingly) independently wealthy kids who appear to go to school 3 hours a day once or twice a week, doesn’t show you that you will have to wait and save and work very hard for the things you want.  Relationships take time to grow and following Jesus is a life-long journey.

Just don’t let what you see on a scripted T.V. show fool you in to approaching life this way, expecting that which takes a lifetime to show up magically and on demand.

Life is full of ups and downs and failing and succeeding. Within all of that there is great opportunity to learn, and remember, and grow….but growing takes time. Compared to the rhythm of a show on T.V., real life is hard, but it is also beautiful.

So don’t stop, no matter how long or how hard your journey. Learn all that you can from all that you experience. But remember, your life is not filmed, “before a live studio audience”….but rather an audience of One.

Live your life in God’s love and by God’s Spirit, and every step you take in life will give you more than any 22 minute story could tell.

Love,

Your Dad.

This post is part of my “Letters to My Children” series. You can read more about it by clicking here