Strong Families Have Vision

I meditated this morning for 10 minutes. It's something I haven't done in a long time. It was good to clear my head, as there are so many thoughts running through my mind.

Does this happen to you? Do all the things you "have to do" plus all the things going on around you, keep you awake at night? I just wish I could shut off my thoughts.

And then I've also been reflecting on the sermon I heard last night...




Another great message by Pastor Dennis. As I mentioned in a previous post, my church is doing a series on Family Strong. This weekend's message is all about vision.

Do you have a vision for your future? Marriage? Your children?

Have you ever stopped to wonder that if you're going through a difficult time in your marriage, relationships, or raising your children...it's because you don't have a vision?

We plan trips to the grocery store, we make a grocery list, we plan for dinner parties, vacations, and board meetings and presentations at the office...but are we giving to same attention to the most vital parts of our life? Our family. Our marriage.

Proverbs 29:18 says where there is no vision, the people perish. If we don't have a plan for these areas in our life, where are we headed?

I remember sitting down with The Hubs, many times throughout our marriage, and writing down our vision for our marriage and family, but I couldn't tell you where that piece of paper is.

My pastor has done this. He and his wife have written down their VISION, they put in a central place in their home and refer to it as often as necessary.  This weekend, he shared his vision (as he has many times), and he gave us many things to ponder and reflect on. I want to share them here.

On marriage...

Pastor says our relationship with God is reflected through our own marriage.  So. If you're having a troubled marriage, your relationship with God is not what it should be.  He asked married couples to reflect on the following....

1. I will forgive you when you do something wrong.
2. I will be there for you when you're going through trouble.
3. I will listen to you and communicate with you regularly (don't let technology get in the way).
4. We will have an intimate relationship (on a regular basis).
5. We will live a life of adventure with faith.
6. I will be honest with you, even if it hurts me.
7. I will never leave you or forsake you.

He also said husbands and wives should be doing something "together" that makes a difference in the world...love this one!

On raising children...

We should equip our children to fulfill God's purpose in their lives. In the area of our kids, here are some things to reflect on...

1. What are the character traits I envision for my child?
2. What level of wisdom do I want my children to have?
3. What kind of world view do I want my child to have? Here he suggested exposing our children to the world and especially third world countries (mission's trips) so our children can appreciate what they have, and see how others are struggling to survive on very little.
4. How will they think about and handle money and possessions?
5. What kind of person am I expecting them to marry?
6. Am I modeling a purposeful life for them to follow?

Wow. Food for thought. Right? I know we all want the best for our marriage and family, and without even thinking about it, I know we are teaching our kids the right values and preparing them for their future. But I agree with Pastor, and I think it's really vital to sit down and plan out the vision. Put it in writing. Refer to it, during life's chaos, when we get too busy, and we need a reminder. 

We need a vision for our marriage. For our family. We need to know where we want to go, and how to get there. And the best part? Planning with your spouse!

Do you have a vision for your marriage? Children?