(This post was written by Matt Grimes, Middle School Ministry Pastor)

Welcome back to our quest to discover the ingredients needed for a healthy relationship between daddies and their little girls.  Over the past two weeks we have discovered the first two key ingredients, being involved with her life, and honoring and respecting her mom.  Both of these key ingredients teach her what a real man should look like, and teach her what to look for in a future spouse. 

The third critical ingredient needed in our relationship with our little princesses is the ingredient of treasuring every moment with her.  When it comes to raising kids, we can easily fall into the trap of wishing to just hurry up and make it through whatever uncomfortable stage we are in so we can make it to what we think is the next  more comfortable stage.  The challenge is that when we do that we end up missing the joys that come with each stage.  Life is meant to be taken in fully at each stage.  When it comes to raising our little girls, in each stage we will have some challenges, as well as some awesome joys.  We have to be careful to not allow the challenges to overshadow the joys that come with each stage.  I am already dreading the difficult days of the teenage years, however in the midst of the many challenges that dramatic teenage girls bring, there will be some sweet moments sent by God, that I don’t want to miss out on.  Savor each day with your little princess, because before you know it they will be grown up, and will move out.  On that day I want to have experienced all that God had for me, not look back with regret wishing I had treasured the time I had with her.