Inspire, Summer 2006

Inspire 25 mere babysitting. We see our children and their grandparents sharing time and sharing values. Our kids are learning firsthand what it means to be a mature believer. All the Sunday school curriculum in the world can’t teach that. My wife’s parents live in our small suburb and attend the same church we do. It is amazing how the personal connections they have made with others over the years have worked to calm us two nervous parents, especially, for example, when our daughter started kindergarten this past fall. I was nervous about leaving Lily for six hours a day with someone we don’t know. My mother-in-law informed me not to worry, that the kindergarten teacher’s older sister was best friends with a young lady we both knew very well. Suddenly, this teacher was transformed from stranger to family friend. It’s also not just the availability, but the quality of these two people’s lives that bring us such joy and peace. I was so happy when I heard that my kids had learned first from their Papa that “life isn’t fair.” (I knew this, but didn’t want to be the one to break it to them.) What joy to see godly values being lived out in front of my children every day! My in-laws have several lifelong friends they met while at Cedarville. One such friend describes us as “disturbingly nuclear.”While there may be some truth to that, we consider ourselves truly blessed to have Lisa’s parents so close and so willing to assist us in meeting our life goals and ensuring that our children have an opportunity to be raised by people who love them. For young couples just starting out or older couples with children who feel burned out from the rat race, if you have godly parents who have the desire to help, consider bringing balance to your life through choices that will allow your family to help. Paul is a shareholder in the Chicago office of Greenberg Traurig, LLP, an international law firm where he practices intellectual property law. Paul lives with his wife, Lisa, and two children, Lily (6) and Danny (4), in Frankfort, Illinois. Paul can be reached at mcgradyp@gtlaw.com . This goes far beyond mere babysitting. We see our children and their grandparents sharing time and sharing values. Our kids are learning firsthand what it means to be a mature believer. All the Sunday school curriculum in the world can’t teach that.