At the Well

Monday, August 4, 2008
Your host:
Natalie at I AM (not)

Your topic:
Having a Family Vision

Your Discussion Question:Do you have a vision for your family? If so, share it with us. If not, what do you think it would be?

What an amazing challenge Natalie posed to us today! She writes:

Why does having a family vision matter?Well, I've learned over the years from many people, including my pastor, that (and I might be botching this up pretty darn good) everyone ends up somewhere, but few end up somewhere on purpose. (that was close)

Meaning, unless we set a vision before our family on all levels, we might not end up where we thought we should. We can have ideas and dreams for what our family and our kids might look like 5, 10, 20 years down the road, but without defining those vision in concrete and purposeful ways, we'll probably not look much like what we dream.

Proverbs 29:18 (in the good ol' King James Version) says, "Where there is no vision, the people perish..."

Whew! I am one of the "everyone who ends up somewhere, but not on purpose!" :( I often have a VISION of what I want us to be, how I want us to be, WHO I want us to be..... it is the follow thru, planning, and organization that "gets me." I tend to be a "dreamer" and can fall prey to living my life in the future if I am not careful. I tend to procrastinate, thinking I have plenty of time to do this or that. I often wait to the last possible minute of a deadline..... Ugh!!!!

It's not that I don't know better! I have seen the statistics on setting goals, making plans, etc. I try, I really do! So, all this to say, when I read Natalie's "challenge" (she doesn't call it such, but I am taking it on!!!!), I felt a pang of conviction!!! I want to land somewhere "on purpose!" I desire that our family would be a light shining in the world... I desire that, like Natalie's family, we would be "Kingdom Minded". I want US as a family to live for the Lord! I want US as a family to make a difference for His Kingdom! I want to leave as a legacy a family that is IN LOVE with the Lord Jesus Christ, on fire, crazy, radical "Jesus Freaks", living life for Him!

Hmmmm....... How does that happen????????? (Especially now with a middle schooler who would shudder and turn 3 shades of red being known as any kind of "freak"). How do we as a family make Jesus our center of life? How do we do this as a family, when I struggle with it at times as a person??

I like how Natalie recommends to sit down and write out goals and the how to. A few years ago we began writing out family New Year's Resolutions together. It has been a highlight for us each year. But, I have to say, we struggle with the follow thru. I can't even tell you what our resolutions were for 2208!!!!!

I know it is important to keep things posted where you can read them every day- like the bathroom mirror. And, I know it is important to back up goals with scripture.

So, what I want to do is have a date with my family and write a vision. I want to put into practice real life, practical ideas, like the kids have devotion time, reading the Word together, serving together, and coming up with some "ground rules" of things that glorify/don't glorify God. (Like watching the movie "Hellboy" or any other weirdo thing an almost teenage boy can come up with!).

I am excited to read ideas of other wise women of the well! Thanks, Natalie for an awesome topic and thanks, Chelsey again for obeying God's call to bring us to the well!

Father God, thank You for this beautiful family You have blessed me with. I surrender it to You, knowing You are the Vision Caster. I know You have set a dream in my heart for what we should BE and by Your Grace we will be transformed from Glory to Glory into the family You have created. Give us wisdom and discernment, especially Brian and I....Give us strength to be "different" than other families we may know. Thank You that You have amazing plans for us. We trust in You, Lord, with all of our hearts, leaning not upon our own understanding, but in all of our ways, acknowledging You and You are making our paths straight, You are directing our steps. Praise You, Lord! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.