The Gift Of Intentional Time

The Gift of Intentional Time

Ann Landers shares the power of intentional time in her answer to a reader’s question. In the story, Landers reports that a young attorney was reflecting on the moment when his life changed because of his father’s gift of time.

The attorney told Landers that the greatest gift he had ever received was a gift he got one Christmas from his dad. It was a note saying, “Son, this year I will give you 365 hours, an hour every day after dinner. It’s yours. We’ll talk about whatever you want to talk about. We’ll go wherever you want to go, play whatever you want to play. It will be your hour!”

That dad not only kept his promise to his son but renewed it every year.

Intentional time in the life of any relationship is powerful, as it declares one’s love. In a parent-child relationship, it declares to the child his or her worth, their great significance. In a marriage, it can be the chance to connect after a busy day, week, or season. Intentional time blows wind into the sails of a relationship.

Genesis 29:18 shows us Jacob serving Laban for seven years for the privilege of marrying his younger daughter, Rachel. It states, “Since Jacob was in love with Rachel, he told her father, ‘I’ll work for you for seven years if you’ll give me Rachel, your younger daughter, as my wife.’” There is nothing like making time for what we value the most. As busy as you are, I want to encourage you to give the gift of intentional time this Christmas season. If you do, it can change the course of your life and those in it.

Since Jacob was in love with Rachel, he told her father, “I’ll work for you for seven years if you’ll give me Rachel, your younger daughter, as my wife.”

Genesis 29:18