(Baby Mallards Growing up)

We’ve been talking a lot about goals here in town with the moms.

Moms with preschoolers. Elementary. Middle School – and going into High School.

How does one start?

We’ve talked a lot about ‘vision’ at our church lately. Prophetic words. Kingdom. All big and lofty. Usually pointed to a known prophetic pray-er or prayer team. But how do you translate that to your home? Your family? Your children’s future? It may be easier than you think.

(Lil Baby Boy growing up – Last day as a kid at the Free Fishing Weekend Derby. Teaching folks at the table how to gut the fish. He let me take a photo with his Middle School Track coach.)

I have given this advice to many – followed it myself when the boys were tiny tots.

Find some time to sit, without distractions. With a notebook and pen in hand, start asking questions.

Even at the tiny age – under 5 – all the way to their current age:

Who are they today? What will hold their interest? How do they take in new information? What distracts them? What foods do they like? What books pictures do they point at over and over? What areas do they ask questions? What types of people do they smile at at the store?

What can you do on this very day to spark an interest, help them discover a new thing, introduce them to a new flavor, show them a new book?

If you do that every day – you’ll be a great mentor.

But we can step it up a bit . . .

Ask them! What are 2-3 things that you want to know? What are you interested it? Make a list – and head to the library, find a mentor, go to a museum, GO! Do! Explore! Create! then make a new list. Fairies, Unicorns, Drums, and Lizards all count.

Next Step –

(We are Bible Believing Christians who walk by Faith with the Holy Spirit – thankful for the Messiah – Jesus Christ – My questions are based on a belief that God wants to raise up our children, and we are helpers. However, I do believe that these questions are vital no matter how or who answers them.)

Sit. Steamy Coffee Cup. Piece of paper. With your heart at rest. Pray for your mind to be empty of today – and ready to receive. Ask the Lord – What he sees for your child by the end of the year. Wait. Write it down. Five years. When they are 20. Write it down.

You might feel a flavor. See a color. Smell a scent. Be reminded of a memory verse. Hear a song. See a picture. Hear a single word in your mind over and over. Write it down. Ask for more. Ask for enough to direct the next month, to put you on the path for this year.

He says he knows the plans he has for us. Did you know you could ask Him? He said he’d direct our paths, make our way straight.

We have tried to live day – month – and year at a time. Looking back at these lists, they have stayed true to the original words written 12 years ago.  It has helped me when the doubts filter into my thoughts. Are we doing the right thing? Are we doing enough? Are we covering what needs to be learned? Each year I ask for the resources to meet our goals. We’ve been open to any learning source, as long as it keeps us on path.

Some days when I’ve prayed – it has been a character trait. Often times it is a useful skill. sometimes circumstances will give the skill, like a broken radiator hose in the truck. Each time, the resources and mentors will unfold. The right youtube video, the part is on sale. The mechanic happens to stop by and show the boys how to replace it.

Maybe you’ll see a trait that needs a bit of honing. Pay attention. Perhaps we’ll be at the park or at a group gathering. Many times, we’ll see the poor trait displayed. Or our boys may be caught up in it. (gasp!) It happens. Ha.  I’ve learned to sit quietly and observe. I don’t jump on it right away. I’ll take mental notes of both sides. On the way home, or at our next meal, it will be brought up. I’ll ask the boys what they observed. How they think they or the others should have acted/reacted. We’ll use our For Instruction in Righteousness book to look up verses on how God would like us to respond. The blessing and curses from either side. We’ll talk it out, pray it out, and have a new game time for the next time we find our selves in similar circumstances.

I could go on for hours – and most of my blog is a testament of this. We’ll have an interest, then the resource will come, then the opportunity to practice the skill arrives.

When my oldest was 5 I had the distinct impression that he would write. And travel. I saw backpacks and trails. I saw lots of teen/young adults. As the years went on I would have an impression about biology, horticulture, and science in general. When Nate was in the 8th grade he received that he’d be a counselor for teens. So many resources, training and opportunities have come through since then, and this summer, as I shared a day or so ago, he will be working  in a paid position as a camp counselor where all of those skills will come full focus. He shared his amazement at his prayer life and how it led him to these jobs.

Jon? Well. His main goal is still to get a camper van, fill it with boards, and drive around the country looking for any place that has a floatable surfable wave. Maybe he’ll be the next LibTech or Russo Surf Rep.