This morning I was listening to a radio interview. The host, Kevin Swanson of Generations With Vision was speaking with guest Kelly Crawford of Generation Cedar. It was a very interesting discussion on Family Economics. Please listen to "A Family Enterprise" it is amazing.
Have you ever felt like your life is too complicated, too messed up? Do you feel like you're missing something? Do you feel like you are a never ending path of hopelessness? I know I do!
I very much dislike the fact that my husband have to get up each day and go our separate ways, to our separate jobs, our separate lives. We spend approx 8 hours a day at work, the best part of our day, and then we come home. Usually we come home tired, sometimes frustrated. We have enough time to eat supper, watch TV and then go to bed. My husband does not know what I do at my job, nor do I know what he does, who he talks to, who he is building relationships with. Now my husband has a job where he has to work out of town more of the time and is gone for a week!
I know first-hand the effect of having a husband that is never home and works away from home for weeks at a time. My parents lived this life until it ended with divorce. I personally believe that there is no way you can have a strong and lasting, loving relationship with someone you never see.
My husband and I do not have children yet (God willing) but here is what I am picturing if we continue on with the world's plan. Wake up make breakfast, get my husband off to work, kids ready for daycare and myself ready for work. Go to my job for 8 hours, pick up the kids, go home, make supper, watch tv, go to bed. Of course this doesn't include any lessons that the kids have, after school activities, play dates, homework, chores. (I am sure that those of you with a family are adding to this list right now).
I don't see any time left to just be together. I see my kids going to a school where teachers and friends have more influence than we will as parents. I see my husband and I spending less then half of our life together. I see tears, frustration, busy schedules, rebellious children, thoughts of divorce, and no time for God.
This is how the world wants us to live! Of course it does! I am sorry but we need to wake up! Satan does not want us to be happy or to love God!
The world says we are supposed to get those promotions, be career women, have husbands with jobs that make lots of money. We're supposed to desire those expensive houses, the nice cars, the designer clothes, the toys, the latest gadgets, the high-end restaurants, the credit cards, etc.
Isn't it weird that when you hear about someone who doesn't have any debt you are in shock? EVERYONE has debt these days, so you think that they must have really really great jobs!
As they say in the interview, the world tells us that the corporate world will bring freedom and security. The more money and things you have the better you will be, the happier you will be. Do you feel this way? If we asked someone with a million dollars would they say that they are carefree?
What is the divorce rate now? Like 50% or more? Do you think that this has any connection to women going to work instead of staying home, husbands working long hours away from home?
Here is what I would like my future to look like:
Wake up, make breakfast for my family, pray, study God's word. Go to work ......together! Work together as a Family Enterprise. Build relationships with my kids, spend the whole day with my husband. Teach our kids how to follow God's word, SHOW them how to follow God's word. Work together towards the same goal, build a life together. Teach our children through homeschooling, teach them how to live. The best lessons do not come from a textbook.
God gives us so many gifts, so many tools and resources. I don't want to go through life never using these gifts, never living to our full potential.
The world invents things for us to make life easier. Cars, ready-made food, schools.. and so much more. Things so that we don't have to think, don't have to work. We don't have to grow our own food because we can just go to the store. We don't have to teach our kids because the school can do that. What is the product? Obesity, health problems, rebellious children, divorce.. what else, what can you see? Open your eyes!
It would be a radical change if we tried to live for God, for our families. You will not take your promotion to heaven, you will not take that car, your riches, your accomplishments. When you are dying do you think you will be grateful for all the things you have? "Wow I am sure glad I spent my entire life pursuing my career, now I can die knowing I accomplished something."
Or do you think if you spend your life pursuing the "American Dream" you might just think "I wish I spent more time with my family".
Are you consumed by the world or by God? Which do you think will make you happier? Which do you think will be more rewarding.
The world's way of thinking is like a drug. You want more, you need more and you are never going to be happy, fullfilled.
It won't be easy to live in the Biblical Economy, it will be hard. You may think, we can't do that because we can't afford to. What is it that is preventing you? A big mortgage? The car payments? An addiction? Fear of being different then the world? What can you give up in order to live a happier, more full-filled life? Don't you think that living a healthy, loving life is worth more than gold?
We need to have a revolution before the Family becomes obsolete.
Have you ever felt like your life is too complicated, too messed up? Do you feel like you're missing something? Do you feel like you are a never ending path of hopelessness? I know I do!
I very much dislike the fact that my husband have to get up each day and go our separate ways, to our separate jobs, our separate lives. We spend approx 8 hours a day at work, the best part of our day, and then we come home. Usually we come home tired, sometimes frustrated. We have enough time to eat supper, watch TV and then go to bed. My husband does not know what I do at my job, nor do I know what he does, who he talks to, who he is building relationships with. Now my husband has a job where he has to work out of town more of the time and is gone for a week!
I know first-hand the effect of having a husband that is never home and works away from home for weeks at a time. My parents lived this life until it ended with divorce. I personally believe that there is no way you can have a strong and lasting, loving relationship with someone you never see.
My husband and I do not have children yet (God willing) but here is what I am picturing if we continue on with the world's plan. Wake up make breakfast, get my husband off to work, kids ready for daycare and myself ready for work. Go to my job for 8 hours, pick up the kids, go home, make supper, watch tv, go to bed. Of course this doesn't include any lessons that the kids have, after school activities, play dates, homework, chores. (I am sure that those of you with a family are adding to this list right now).
I don't see any time left to just be together. I see my kids going to a school where teachers and friends have more influence than we will as parents. I see my husband and I spending less then half of our life together. I see tears, frustration, busy schedules, rebellious children, thoughts of divorce, and no time for God.
This is how the world wants us to live! Of course it does! I am sorry but we need to wake up! Satan does not want us to be happy or to love God!
The world says we are supposed to get those promotions, be career women, have husbands with jobs that make lots of money. We're supposed to desire those expensive houses, the nice cars, the designer clothes, the toys, the latest gadgets, the high-end restaurants, the credit cards, etc.
Isn't it weird that when you hear about someone who doesn't have any debt you are in shock? EVERYONE has debt these days, so you think that they must have really really great jobs!
As they say in the interview, the world tells us that the corporate world will bring freedom and security. The more money and things you have the better you will be, the happier you will be. Do you feel this way? If we asked someone with a million dollars would they say that they are carefree?
What is the divorce rate now? Like 50% or more? Do you think that this has any connection to women going to work instead of staying home, husbands working long hours away from home?
Here is what I would like my future to look like:
Wake up, make breakfast for my family, pray, study God's word. Go to work ......together! Work together as a Family Enterprise. Build relationships with my kids, spend the whole day with my husband. Teach our kids how to follow God's word, SHOW them how to follow God's word. Work together towards the same goal, build a life together. Teach our children through homeschooling, teach them how to live. The best lessons do not come from a textbook.
God gives us so many gifts, so many tools and resources. I don't want to go through life never using these gifts, never living to our full potential.
The world invents things for us to make life easier. Cars, ready-made food, schools.. and so much more. Things so that we don't have to think, don't have to work. We don't have to grow our own food because we can just go to the store. We don't have to teach our kids because the school can do that. What is the product? Obesity, health problems, rebellious children, divorce.. what else, what can you see? Open your eyes!
It would be a radical change if we tried to live for God, for our families. You will not take your promotion to heaven, you will not take that car, your riches, your accomplishments. When you are dying do you think you will be grateful for all the things you have? "Wow I am sure glad I spent my entire life pursuing my career, now I can die knowing I accomplished something."
Or do you think if you spend your life pursuing the "American Dream" you might just think "I wish I spent more time with my family".
Are you consumed by the world or by God? Which do you think will make you happier? Which do you think will be more rewarding.
The world's way of thinking is like a drug. You want more, you need more and you are never going to be happy, fullfilled.
It won't be easy to live in the Biblical Economy, it will be hard. You may think, we can't do that because we can't afford to. What is it that is preventing you? A big mortgage? The car payments? An addiction? Fear of being different then the world? What can you give up in order to live a happier, more full-filled life? Don't you think that living a healthy, loving life is worth more than gold?
We need to have a revolution before the Family becomes obsolete.
You are so right! Getting past the desires to "have, want and need" are huge hurdles for most people. As a family, we have worked to set up our lives in a way to try to eliminate some of this. Getting rid of some of the things that feed those desires, like television, has really helped. We're no where near perfect though, but we're aiming high! We absolutely need a revolution!
ReplyDeleteWe're fixing to move to our new town in a few days which means we'll begin our church hunt. Your blog and the little bit of contact you and I have had have been an encouragement. Thank you and keep writting! I'm still reading!
I hope all is going well for you. Happy New Year! -Celeste
Great post! Wishing you a Happy New Year!
ReplyDelete