As parents we make decisions that affect everyone in the family. We set the tone for what is important and what is valued. There is a hidden element to this whole parenting adventure that I only recently discovered.Direction falls under this focused family precept as well. Direction is a little under the radar in reality. It may not always be so easily defined, but it is an integral part of the pace of family. It actually begins to show up as patterns developing in a family.
If you and your siblings and parents meet for a meal once a week, then your parents lead in a direction that included this as an important value. Even after you as children left the house, the direction continued.
Family businesses that pass from parents to children fall into the same category. Sports involvement can be the same.
In our family, faith as Christians, has always been valued. It has moved us in a direction of ministry to others in the church setting for the last twelve years. Earlier this last summer I resigned from our church in Canada. I had planned on taking a year off to do some writing. What I did not anticipate was that even though ministry is sometimes stressful for our family, it is also part of the direction. Not ministering in the church created an imbalance in our direction. This was a major interrupt in our children especially.
When the direction was violated the anxiety in our family rose and a sense of wandering came out. Even though we were maintaining the process of faith in our home, the family direction was suffering. As I began to seek a new assignment in another church, the process in itself made it even worse.
Now, we are headed to Spring Hill, Tennessee as I have agreed to be the pastor of a church there. When that decision was made there was a great lifting of our spirits as the direction had returned. We are once again moving together in life. We are moving in a direction that has become a definition of who we are together.
What do you value and where is it taking your family?
1 comment:
Hi Brian
So true. There is a void as a result of not focusing on the calling.
Our family direction did not change after leaving our located church ministry. Service has always been the center of our family, not simply christian faith. How we serve now, and the parameters of service, are not the traditional paid "Pastor", as you know. However, church planting, and mission is still our single minded focus. Unfortunately, to a great degree, being a local church minister of an established church here in the west actually prevented that for us. So leading a new church plant voluntarily has been freeing. It's been refreshing to focus on what is not only good for us,but what is the "Excellent" for us. It's not always been easy to balance the good with the excellent.
We are praying now for some unreached people in the Sahara region of West Africa, and truly open to initiating something there in the future again.
God Bless
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