Simple Vision - Grab Life by the basketball

When I was in grade primary, I had to get glasses because, well picture that time you talked to someone, and you weren't sure what eye to look at, add some pigtails and a little bit of hyperactivity and you got Bhreagh at age 5.I distinctly remember a few things above my glasses journey;1) I saw two of my teachers all the time (there's was definitely only suppose to be one)2) I remember driving into my driveway and seeing for the first time that our garage was further back then our house (major depth perception issues) and3) Being in gym class and not sure which basketball was actually a basketball and not the imaginary ones I was seeing (spoiler alert, I got hit in the head with the real ball)I couldn't see at all and getting those glasses on for the first time was a really really hard adjustment, but I could finally actually see what was going on in the world.Well, these last two years, I put on some other glasses - the glasses that let me see families and their flaws. My family, my extended family, my neighbor's families, etc. etc. etc. I saw quite quickly that we have a problem, like a real problem.So before I went all super judgemental and "I know the answer to everything" I stopped myself and took a hard look at my own family and (if you haven't read my last post go back and look) we weren't doing too swell either. We were just getting through each day, each minute really, and trying our hardest not to lose it on our kids, each other, the random guy walking down the street or the lady at Wal-mart who brings coupons for EVERYTHING!Really what was happening was there was a whole bunch of balls coming at us and we didn't know which one to grab, we often got smack in the heads because we grabbed the wrong one and there was not optometrist who specialized in "getting your crap together" and offered you a prescription pair of glasses to help.There was a lot of big (and little) moments that helped me along the way but one of the most defining moments was when we realized how hard we worked to create a vision and mission in our place of work but had absolutely no direction for our family, we were just grasping at straws and hoping we picked the right one and our kids wouldn't end up completely messed up.Have you ever thought of making a vision and mission for your family?Me neither.Honestly, I thought it was a bit stupid and maybe a little crunchy, like something the weird people do who homeschool their kids, only wear pure cotton clothes, have memorized the whole Bible and grow all their own food (which now that I type that are all basically my current goals).Well friends, call me weird and crazy because that's the car I'm driving right now.When I told my husband, I wanted to make a family vision and mission statement he was like "sweet, cool" and then continues to tell me about the knights of Ren and how they are coming back in the new Star Wars movie, and it's sooooooooo amazing.....I mean I don't really blame him, he probably thought it would end up the same way anything new I try to do ends up - dead (think plants and gardens, not kids), in the garbage, or completely forgotten about.But this one, this one was important to me and guess what!? It didn't die!Our family vision and mission now hangs proudly and beautifully designed (by my hubby) on our wall and every single morning I see it, after school I see it, at supper time I see it, and I am held accountable to it because I want my family, our little Rowe family to make a positive impact on the world and there is no way to successfully complete something if you have no vision - you'll grab the wrong basketball every single time (just ask the bumps and bruises)Families are in rough shape, we are a bit screwed up, but we also have the power to realign ourselves with God's original purpose.God commanded Adam and Eve go into the chaos (the world) and create order (govern over all things) and be fruitful and multiply while they are at it. We all have that same mission in life, but how we play that out, well that's up to us. We get to decide (to some extent) what our specific family, the people who God brought together, get to do to impact the world for His kingdom - I mean it's a little overwhelming but totally exciting.So friend, if you find yourself going through the motions of life, wishing and hoping for more or maybe even watching other families and feeling like a complete failure as a mom and also as a Christian I completely get it.Perhaps you've wanted to do something like this, but your spouse would rather talk Star Wars then embark on another one of your crazy ideas I completely get you.Maybe you are further along in the family life cycle and feel like it's too late to do anything like this I hear you.And I say this;It's gotta start with someone - why not you?God started with Abraham and Sara, promised them descendants as numerous as the stars and they were old and tired, felt a little worthless and probably got hit by a lot of basketballs, but Abraham said yes and guess what? God followed through.You can too.Stop grabbing the wrong basketball. Equip yourself with something that will help you see the world through the eyes of God and His purpose for family. Put aside some of those bumps and bruises.Give your family a purpose - set a vision and mission or something else will.