The Mothership

We have been evaluating our family dynamics from morning routines, to evening routines, and seeing where we may have taken a turn from our initial intent. Tim asked me to read the book 3 Big Questions for a Frantic Family by Patrick Lencioni. I highly recommend this easy to read tool. We are at the beginning stages of putting it into practice. In one of the activations, you are to strategize about your family values. One of my family values would be for my children to know the Bible and understand God in a real, living, way that can imprint their identity and also help guide them to where God can use them in the world.  But who's got time for that?!?! We are all out here trying to do our best. Our family during many months of the year can run ragged and maybe only all sit down to eat together twice a week. The values and focus we want to impress upon our children can get lost in the daily shuffle of “doings” if we are not careful and intentional with our time. I want to prioritize...

Among most people who are raising smaller humans you can hear a mantra, "I'm just tired..." And I'm not sure that it goes away - encouraging, I know.  When you have an infant you are exhausted because of loss of sleep. And the days can be long. And as they grow older you get more sleep - so to speak. But the days can still be long. And see, I'm thinking there is a culprit at the head of the game of tiredness...the things I find where I am loosing my patience the most... Teachable moments...they draw their weapons and yell " I'll be your huckleberry "...(movie reference) every single time. The amount of opportunities for me to have a teachable moment with my children is exasperating. It’s not just once a day - more like 20 times a day...per child. "Hmmm, I haven't had to teach or model or reinforce anything today." said nary a parent. And that's not to say that I haven't had awesome days filled with wonderful memories ...