Family Fun

The most bonding of all family events is having fun together. Laughing, throwing a ball, a picnic, vacation, surprise visit, birthday parties, and a long list of a lot more. We all stake our claim to busyness but we need to funny business going on win our family life. Taking the children for a walk, a trip to the zoo, a children's event, pizza or camping out in the living room are once in a lifetime events that children and families will remember forever. Take the camera or a video camera and get double the fun by doing popcorn and a video the following weekend. Turn off the TV, set your voicemail to pick up business after your trip out and have fun. One of the greatest investments we made was a condo on the lake that we frequent with our family. Skype the relatives that live a far distance from you and let the children visit with relatives you wouldn't normally see very often.
Fun is spelled Forever - the time you will have will indelibly be etched in a child's memory forever. Unique - the different, outlandish and sometimes, odd will make the most impact. Not expensive - fun doesn't have to cost very much. Look for the free or inexpensive family oriented events in your area. Make a list that can be referred to from time to time.
Let's get started this weekend.

THE HIGHLIGHTS OF IMPORTANCE

The Highlights of Importance.

When I look back over my past and muse over my future I must admit - life and all its pursuit boils down to one or two really important things.
When the CEO of Carolina Pad, Clay Presley, missed his interview with INC. magazine not one thought that he would be among the ones standing along a plane wing waiting for the rescue boat. US Airways Flight 1549 had safely landed in the Hudson River on January 15, 2009. But when Presley did make the interview he firmly stated, “"in about three seconds, you realize what's important: family, and your spiritual relationship.”
I agree! Of all the things I have done in my past and all the things in my future – the time, energy, money and future plans aimed at, my relationship with God and my relationship with my family is most paramount. Setting the most important things as the most important things must be more than mental assent. There must be a sense of direction, a momentum moving us down the right path. A few right choices can set a dynamic change agency within us.

Here are a few tips on making the right things the right things:

1. Ask yourself the TIME question. What will captivate the majority of my prime time. Make a list of all the necessary items for today with the “most important things” figured in. Schedule your prime time events on your daily calendar, after following this day after day, it will become a habit.
2. Ask yourself the ENERGY question. What takes the majority of my energy. We aren’t talking about job, etc. – we are only talking about our “most important things,” of these, what should take the most of my effort as I work towards satisfaction?
3. Ask yourself the MONEY question. Will I begin to allocate funds to my priority areas? How much can I spend on each item? And, am I willing to adjust my standard of living to fit these new terms?
4. Ask yourself the FUTURE question. Since priorities rewrite the future it is important I ask myself some thought provoking questions. How will this change my future? What must I do beginning today if I want to change my future?

What is Central?

For the politician there is elections, congress, news briefs, Iraq and energy costs.

For the merchant there is rising prices, lower projections, and stressful budgets.

For the sports fan there is steroid abuse, championships and the Beijing Olympics.



For the banker there is real estate foreclosures, stock plunges and tight money.

For the housewife there is sibling rivalry, frazzled nerves and disobedient children.

For the husband there is time schedules, less money and more responsibilities.



But Jesus said there is "one thing needful." Of course, Martha was busy in the kitchen preparing the evening meal, scurrying about with traumatic eyes as she whisked from mixing to the oven then setting the table. For Mary she was more concerned about the Bread of Life than the bread in the oven. She sat at the feet of Jesus ready to drink of the living water. She found the one thing that is central to life. To discover Jesus Christ. To learn of Him. To love Him with a full heart.

She yearned for a one to one conversation.

She longed for a face to face encounter.

She desired a heart to heart talk.

The one thing that is central is defined by Jesus as He spoke, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God..."

To seek anything else becomes bothersome.

To follow anything else is an atrocity

To love anything else is idolatry.

The drive to gather anything at the loss of everything is a mere investment in today but to love Jesus supremely and to yearn for Him in our spirit is to grand investment for the future. To take time with Jesus is to invest in your marriage, your family and your life. Life doesn't sneak upon you when you love Jesus with all your heart. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God..." but it continues with a promise, "and all these things shall be added unto you."