Family Time: Doing Life Together (Part 2)

We work, work, work and often are so darn busy that when we finally have down time all we want to do is melt into a puddle in front of the television. Mindless oblivion can feel so nice for our weary, overloaded minds. The problem is, mindless oblivion doesn't do much to bring a sense of connectedness to our families. It doesn't recharge our batteries in the long-term way we need our batteries recharged. And, most of the time, it doesn't create the memories that we desire our children to someday recount to their children.

Obviously we want to cultivate a sense of family unity within our homes, but how do we do that with all of the distractions of life? I am finding that, just like all things that are good for our well-being, it takes concerted effort. Strong, healthy families don't just happen. We mamas and papas must be intentional about setting goals, creating avenues, and investing time to build the families that our hearts yearn for.

So where do we start? Where do I start? A runner doesn't run his first marathon without any goals or preparation. A builder doesn't build his first structure without plans and blueprints. So I sit here and think, why would it be any different with me? If I wanted to create a bountiful vegetable garden (side-note: This would flat-out be a bad idea because I am indescribably horticulturally-challenged) I would have to set it up for success first. Research, plans, purchases, getting my hands dirty, tilling the soil...these would all be a part of the prep before I even dig that first hole. I would never expect that carrots and whatnot would just appear without me putting any work into it! That would be absurd. So what makes me think I can grow healthy, well-balanced, passionate-about-Jesus kids and have a whole, connected family without even knowing what I really want or how I want to get there?

With this in mind, I see the need to sit down with the hubs and talk about what goals and desires we have for our family. Asking ourselves the questions of what do we want our family to be known for? What are some of our family values? Are there any important ideals we want to instil in our children as they grow? And how do we get there? Writing our thoughts and answers down, and maybe setting up a yearly date to revisit our hopes, plans, and desires so that we can remember why we do what we do.

Whether you're a brand-new mama or your kiddos have kiddos of their own, we all have goals of the kind of moms we want to be, and with work we can get there. Let me know some of your family goals and how you plan to reach them! Also, stay tuned for Part 3 of Family Time: Doing Life Together (whenever the hubs and I actually make time to sit down and plan out our family goals), and if you missed Part 1, feel free to check it out here!

Today I am linking up with The Better Mom for Better Mom Mondays!