Elder's Corner

Greetings in Christ,

I hope you are all doing well. I thought I would share with you a story about setting priorities. 

It’s an interaction between a son and his father:

SON: "Daddy, may I ask you a question?"
DAD: "Yeah sure, what is it?"
SON: "Daddy, how much do you make an hour?"
DAD: "That's really none of your business. Why do you ask?"
SON: "I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?"
DAD: "If you must know, I make $100 an hour."
SON: "Oh” (With his head down).
SON: "Daddy, can I please borrow $50?"
DAD: "REALLY?! If you're asking to borrow money for some silly toy or game, you can just march yourself straight to your room to think about why you're being so selfish. I work hard every day to provide for this family, and this is the thanks I get?"
       The little boy went quietly to his room and shut the door.  The dad sat down and started getting even angrier about his son's questions. "How dare he ask question like that just to get some money?" he stewed. After an hour, the dad calmed down, and started to think: "Maybe there was something he really needed the $50 for? He doesn't ask for money often..."  So, the dad went to his son's door and opened it.

DAD: "Are you asleep, son?"
SON: "No daddy, I'm awake".
DAD: "I've been thinking, and maybe I was too hard on you earlier. It's been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you. Here's the $50 you asked for."

The little boy sat straight up, smiling.

SON: "Oh, thank you daddy!"
     Then, reaching under his pillow, the boy pulled out some crumpled-up dollar bills. When the dad saw the boy already had money, he started getting angry again as the little boy slowly counted out his money and looked up at his father.

DAD: "Why do you want more money if you already have some?"
SON: "Because I didn't have enough, but now I do. Daddy, I have $100 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you."
     The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little son and begged for his forgiveness through a stream of tears. 
     This one hits home – hard.  I’m constantly busy flying for Delta, working for the Navy and keeping up our ranch.  Sometimes Karla, Kaylee and Keagan get the short end of the stick when it comes to my time.  That being said, if I were to pass tomorrow Delta would find another pilot, the Navy would find another Officer, and someone would farm our land without looking back.  However, my family would be the ones trying to pick up the pieces.  I really matter to them despite constantly shorting them on time. 
     This article also makes me stop and think about my relationship with my Heavenly Father.  Unlike the story, in this instance it’s me (the child) withholding my time from my Father.  There are so many things going on in this earthly world that sometimes I don’t make the time I should to cultivate my relationship with my Heavenly Father. When I pass from this earthly life, the one person who cares the most (and quite frankly the only one that matters), is my Heavenly Father.
     I hope this serves as a reminder to everyone to slow down and make sure you get your priorities right.  Remember you could be replaced at work tomorrow.  However, to your family and your Heavenly Father you are irreplaceable.     

In Christ,
Andrew Craig

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