Since it is planning time for everyone, I thought I would re-post this series from the archives…..

Creating a Family schedule that Works for You!

I know – you're as ecstatic as I am.  You could barely sleep last night thinking about scheduling….am I right?  huh?….oh yeah, baby!!  

No?……  You're not that excited? Oh.  Okay.  In that case, it is a good thing we are going to take this one step at a time.

Imagine you are preparing to shoot an arrow.  You grasp the bow in one hand, line up the back of the arrow to the string, pull back and let go.  Wow! That arrow sure flies!  But there is one problem.  You have no idea where the target is.  Because there isn't one.  And so you just keep launching arrows hoping they hit something.  And they do.  But you never really get any satisfaction because you aren't trying to hit anything in particular.

Shooting arrows without a target is crazy and clearly a waste of time.  Unless you are 6.

(Okay so this picture is only marginally applicable.  But I mean, how adorable is it with his ribs sticking out, basketball shorts and a pair of cowboy boots?  I digress…)

So my point is, that unless you actually have a target to shoot for – unless you know what is most important to your family, it might be very hard to make decisions on where to spend your time.  And that is what we are doing when we create a schedule – allocating one of our most precious resources – our time!

Preparing for the Mission:

For the next minute or so, imagine (I know, this "imagining" thing again…) your kids are in their mid-to-late 20's.  They live on their own and perhaps are married with kids, or whatever.  The point is, your influence on them is pretty much past-tense.  By this time, your wisdom and direction in their lives is by request only, and it probably isn't requested all that much.  Think about what things will be important to you at that point.  What are two main things you will wish you would have taught your children?  What are two main things you wish you would have invested in your marriage?  Your church?  Your community?  That which you spend your time on today will be the legacy you leave for tomorrow.

Close your eyes (come on, do-it) and think about this scenario.  Visualize your children and your spouse and your interaction.  Visualize what your life looks like.

Done?  Did you really do it, or are you just reading on……?  Go back and do it!

So assuming that you did the exercise above, you are now ready to move on to today's mission….

Your Mission (should you choose to accept it):

Identify the three "areas of focus" for your family.  You may want to use the things that came to your mind when I described the scenario above.  Write down these three things.  Use a sentence or two to describe them.  Don't do it all right this second – think about it all day, while you fold laundry, while you pick up kids from soccer practice, while you load the dishwasher for the 780th time….  Think about those grown children and you – with years ahead of you after an empty nest – what three areas will you wish you had devoted most of your time?  Be generic – this is an overall "focusing" of the lens, not a to-do list.  Your answer today will assist with tomorrow's mission.  Be sure to WRITE THEM DOWN.  Better yet, post your three "areas of focus" in the comments section!  I can't wait to hear them!

Here's mine….

1. Faith – each member of our family living in the overwhelming reality that Christ was and is and is to come.  Growing in our faith daily.

2. Character – exhibiting character qualities that encourage, demonstrate love, appreciation and concern for others.  Standing strong in our convictions and leading orderly, courageous and disciplined lives.

3. Living with purpose – Discovering each family member's unique design and spending time developing and uncovering the ways that God has created us and how to use that for His glory.  Taking time each day to use and foster those skills and abilities.

See you Tomorrow!!!

This Post is part of a series titled "Creating a Family Schedule That Works for You".  The other links to the posts in this series may be found here:

Intro 1

Intro 2

Day 1: Developing The Vision

Day 2: Narrowing the Path

Day 3: Establishing a Beginning and End

Day 4: Activity List

Day 5: Adding It Up

Day 6: Redefining Your Day

Day 7: The Schedule Comes Together