A Family Vision

     Is there anything wrong with having a vision for your family?  Anything wrong with having real hopes and dreams?  I have my heart set in that direction.  I see us being real parents to teenagers with real situations.  I see God moving for us in ways we can't even imagine.  I have big dreams and aspirations for life.  Right now we are surrounded with the excitement of little ones, but I also see a sweet future in store over the horizon.   I envision large, fun filled family gatherings.  I want to "work while it's day," while they are still here at home to prepare for things ahead.
     As I've said before, I want our family to be very close.  I want us to be able to enjoy these easy, fast paced growing up times but also be able to embrace the real, normal questions of life ahead.  I want my kids to be able to have the confidence in us to talk to us and ask advice about anything.  There is a difference in truth and knowledge verses drawing your own conclusions.  I know this will not always happen, but I want to be there when others have let them down.  I want to encourage Godly friendships.  I want to lift them up and help them find strength.  I don't want to believe the lie that they are perfect.  Life hits real and hard at times.  Trying to figure out situations on your own is not the way I want to pave for them.  Ultimately, they will make their own decisions (and we probably won't like some of them), but I want them to go into circumstances without questioning right from wrong.  I want them to be equipped with scripture embedded in their hearts to face this world's challenges.  Our desire is, of course, for them to be saved and let Jesus guide them, but if they do not choose that good road, our prayer is that every heartbeat will be a reminder ringing in their ears of that true attainable peace, love, and happiness.
     Right now we have 4 children.  We surely don't want to rush things through, but time here is quickly passing.  Is it too early to pray for the future?  Is it too early to desire them to find Godly companions?  Is it too early to dream of their kids?  I have dreams of us being the greatest grandparents.  Our wish is to be able to help our children start their own separate lives but remain close.  I'd love to be able to one day afford the huge family vacations at our expense.  What better could our money be spent on than our children?  If that isn't possible, I still want to have the best sleepovers, pizza parties, baking sessions, crafts, relay games, forts/princess castles constructed from quilts, birthdays, holidays, meal times, and loud family celebrations on this side of eternity!  After all, it's not material things that really matter.  Investing time and energy into family is what they really long for.  I couldn't imagine having any other desire or mentality.  I do want to keep those goals as we head off into the unknown.
    Next time you think about the road that lies ahead or the fear of not knowing what the future will hold, I challenge you to embrace a family vision.  Your hopes may be tons different than mine, but whatever they are, dream happy dreams!  Own your own vision!  Lay claims on your heart's desire!  It won't even cost you a thing, and I will guarantee it will put a smile on your face and a song in your heart.