It's been a while!

It's definitely been too long and definitely time to write a new blog post!

In between having babies and launching new charities, Amy and I haven't had much spare time but seeing as we love to watch a good movie, last week we rented ‘Parental Guidance’ with Billy Crystal.  

The film is about a father’s strained relationship with his daughter and his grandchildren.  It was a good film.  We laughed out a loud a few times and thought it was worth the £3 rental we paid for it.

Although it was said to be a comedy (which it was) the defining moment of the film had Amy and in tears of emotion.  As the film progressed what we saw was that Billy Crystal (the struggling father and grand father) was actually from a broken and hurting home where he failed to receive the unconditional love that he needed.  This in turn affected the way he parented his own daughter and grandchildren.

It got me thinking about how I parent my own two children.

I’ve been reading a book called ‘The emotionally healthy church’ which is all about how to maintain your emotional health.  Two years ago I probably wouldn’t have realized the need for me to give my time to such a book but having kids has challenged and changed my view on this.

I firmly believe that we teach those around us what we know but we reproduce what we are. 

I want to do the very best by my wife, son and daughter.  I want to set them the best example that I possible can.  I want to grow and develop a wonderful and beautiful relationship with all of them.  I want to extent unconditional love, be honest with them and treat them with the respect and honour they deserve.  Outside of the home I want to lead well in areas of church and work and set a great example to friends and family.

I believe that in order to be the most completely father, husband, friend, employee, son and brother I can be, I need to first take care of my own health and especially my emotional health.  I’m even starting to come around to the thinking that our emotional health affects far more of our lives, actions and choices than our physical, mental and possibly even our spiritual health.

So, how are you doing emotionally?