Building Family Unity Series

My 64 year old parents flipped over in a raft on the Clark Fork River in Montana with my {then} 10 year old daughter, and two nephews.  The guide had just finished telling them not an hour earlier that he hadn’t flipped a raft in all of the years he’d been guiding.  Thankfully everyone made it out from under the raft and today it stands as a badge of courage and a great memory for all of them.

My parents take their grandkids on a trip somewhere when they are around 10 years old.  These three got to go to The Cheff Ranch in Montana.  My son leaves on his special trip in a week.  They are taking him to a Mariner’s game in Seattle, then over to the Olympic Peninsula where they will whale watch, hike in a rainforest, visit a wildlife park, and beach comb.

My parents have always modeled intentional living.  They take time out to create moments.  And these moments become building blocks for family unity.

Never underestimate the value of TIME.

When we set it aside, and put a little bit of effort into thinking, planning, and creating, big relational pay-offs occur.

If there isn’t a sense of belonging in a family, then kids will go elsewhere to find that place where they feel at home, and that “elsewhere” may get them into lots of trouble.  But beyond that, and more importantly, don’t we all want to share in meaningful relationships with each other, ESPECIALLY with those with whom we have life-long relationships?

Unity is something we can help create.  Family dinners, shared responsibilities, conflict resolution…. all of these are players, but where I want to focus for the next few weeks is in creating MEMORABLE MOMENTS.  During the summer we naturally carve out more time for vacations or time off, and kids are freed up from school and activities.  This spells T-I-M-E.  Let’s not waste it.

Even if the raft flips and things don’t go as planned along the way, know that simply getting in the boat together is the most important part!