Is Your Family in Your Way?
Speaking of agendas…
I was thinking about the family. Once believed and firmly recognized as “the building block of society”, is now hardly esteemed above another “choice”.
(My mind goes in so many different directions just now, it’s hard to narrow my focus to one point!) This may be several posts.
OK…the blaring message is “ME AND MINE”. And we’ve bought it. But we’re still trying to operate in family units, functioning as separate people, with different agendas, priorities and goals.
Some say this is wonderful. You know, “we’re all different and should enjoy whatever it is our “hearts” are calling us to.” Sounds good.
But if our hearts are all divided, how can we remain a strong, together-family? Is it any wonder why recently someone said to me, “Kelly, the family is dying…the family is no more.”
Maybe, just maybe, the family gets in the way of ME.
Did you ever think you would see a day where the family was being redefined and people were nodding in agreement? Did you know we’re in that day? And did you know Christians can be counted among the redefining group?
When God joined them together He pronounced them ONE FLESH. It stands to reason that when new life springs from one flesh, that new life is an integral part of the one flesh. One family. One team. One agenda.
Maybe families would thrive and survive if they were all on the same team. Imagine playing on the basketball team and everyone had a different idea of where the goal was?
Maybe Mom’s career, or Dad’s night out, or other seemingly harmless activities go far beyond the surface. Is it a black and white issue? Regardless of that, are we willing to see the connections that keep taking us down a destructive path?
So what should a family’s agenda be? How do we all have one goal, and remain different people with different gifts and abilities? (Hint…the Great Commission includes families!)
I’ve got ideas…but they must wait until the next post!
Related posts:
family/parenting | Word Warrior | 
July 18, 2008 3:33 pm
This is a link to my husbands site where he links to another site but…I think you’ll be interested in reading it as it connects to your post and recent thoughts.
Oops! Here’s the link…actually to the original post I thought you’d like to read…cuts out the middle man so to speak…
http://www.tonywoodlief.com/archives/001398.html
Love this post..
love ya,
Rob
These posts about dying to our selfish desires have been so good!!!!
My neighbor commented the other day on how I must be “wonder woman” because I can paint the house and keep the children occupied at the same time. I kindly told her that I have never let my children “get in the way” of my life, they are part of my life and including them in it is what I do.
The idea that family is in the way really irritates me. I have people ask me to babysit so they can go shopping, clean the house, etc. and they only have one child. Include them, don’t exclude them from the things of life!!!! Grrrrr. Can you tell this irritates me?
My “me” time is spent with those that love “me”, I can think of no better way to spend it…
Rachel,
You make a VERY important point! And it’s easy to understand, then, why we often get the bewildered looks with our children…people don’t have a picture of a “together family”…so ALL those children are seen as an obstacle to life.
It’s simple, really, but foreign.
Thankyou so much for writing on this topic. It encourages and challenges at the same time! I’m already looking forward to the next post.
Word Warrior:
You make an excellent and correct point: people do NOT have models of a together family. Most of the families people “see” are the dysfunctional ones. This is a very sad.