So today marks one week that we are living in the house that God provided for us. It is a 2 bed, 2 bath house with a very big living room, dining room, kitchen and fenced in back yard. You might be thinking that is a tight fit for a family of 8 with 2 animals, but to us, it is a palace. We are all so grateful that God has given us this space no matter how temporary it may be. Hannah keeps saying how she can't believe how big the house is. It is kind of funny coming from a teenager who just 6 months ago had a bedroom that was size of our living room now.
Honestly though that is what this experience has done for all of us. It has made us realize how little we need, how much we really have and how most of it does not really matter in light of eternity, in light of reaching those who have nothing, nothing at all!
So at the beginning of the year we decided that we would try to do some goal setting. For the last few years we have tried(mostly failing because of lack of follow up on our part)at helping each one of the kids as well as ourselves to set goals for the year. A New Years resolution kind of thing, but then again not really. To be honest, they always fight us on it. They hate doing it. This year I resolved to do better at helping all of us follow up on these goals and also encourage each other in them. One of the ways we plan to do this is to meet once a week as a family and discuss one of our goals and how it is going. We also plan to spend a few minutes praying for each other about our goals so that each person will see how important these goals are to God and how much He values our dreams and the things we want to accomplish as well as to ask God for direction and guidance as we live out how to achieve our goals.
So last night we sat down for the first time since we started writing our goals to discuss at least 1 goal. We went around the room and each person told what the first goal was and one way they thought they could accomplish it. For each one it was different. The twins want to become more healthy and active(mostly feeling the lack of activity since they did not get to play football). Hannah and Rachael are both working tirelessly on their audition pieces to get into New World School of the Arts in Miami. They have both danced for 10 plus years and they would cherish the opportunity to get into this dance arts school. It is a by audition only and Hannah's audition is this Saturday, Rachael's is the second week of February. They have a goal to be attending in the fall, so they are working their butts off to get in. Jeff and I talked about our goals for our new moving business and how we wanted to be reaching out to our neighbors and showing them God's love no matter where we live.
Then there is Ruth. If you know Ruth, she can be pretty ambitious. Her goal: To raise money for the homeless! The first way she wants to do this is to have a lemonade stand. Now as a mother, I am proud of all our kids goals. They really thought about them all and have great big dreams. As parents we want to help them accomplish all of their goals. Ruth's goal however was not about what she wanted for herself, but about what she wanted for someone else. That was pretty great, I thought.
Then I thought about it more last night. Her goal came out of her experience. Yes, all of our kids have experienced the poverty, homelessness and desperation of the poor here, and it has caused them to be more thankful for what they have and realize that we can do with so much less. But Ruth, has been out on Saturday mornings at the Homeless Breakfast spending time with these people. She has gone to the park with her Dad to take them pizza, she knows them all by name and they know her. When she is not there on Saturday, they want to know what is wrong and where is Ruth? She is investing in their lives by having a relationship with them. I don't even think she realizes it yet. That is what I love about it. She is seeing a need and filling it because it is the natural thing to do.
I wish that we could all keep that childlike attitude toward life. It is so hard doing what we are doing right now. There have been many days in the last few weeks that I just want to quit. Today we need $1,500 to pay the rent and utility deposit on this house we are living in and I don't know where this is going to come from. I know God knows and I am just trying to trust in Him, But after last night, all I really want is that childlike faith and fearless attitude that is ready to go all out and do whatever it takes to help someone else accomplish their goals.
So I guess I will start by going to the store to get the stuff for a Lemonade Stand!
No comments:
Post a Comment