I cannot believe it's been almost 6 months since I last posted. I could write a book on what I've learned since then. But, you didn't sign up for that, so here's a couple of our latest blessings.
The back story... On the eve of Easter, (silent Saturday) we had a little family meeting. We were trying to decide where to go to church for Easter. We basically had three choices: our home church that we left a couple years ago, our current church we've transiently settled on, or a new LifeChurch.tv plant (The Edge) that is about a year old. Everyone had a different idea and different motives. We went to bed with the decision unsettled.
Easter morning, Rodney and I made the executive decision together and told the girls that we were going to The Edge. My oldest had made plans to go with a friend to our home church, and I told her to call it off because she was going with us. She was not happy with me but did not protest.
We got dressed, got in the car and drove to church without much discussion or conversation.
Of course there were people there who we knew. We have a broad range of people with whom we are acquainted on this half of the state. We had an idea what it would be like, but we just couldn't make ourselves go before now.
After the service, walking to the car, I asked my oldest if she was glad that I made her come. She was. She was radiant as were the rest of us. We've been every Sunday since.
One series that Craig Groeschel just finished was called Outlasters. If you're familiar with Bruce Wilkenson's three chair series, it's very similar. Our kids were hanging on every word. He talked about learning to appreciate work and embrace it as well as leaving a legacy and developing a real one-on-one relationship with God and not settling with a vicarious one through a parent. Believe me, that's the scarce nutshell of the fantastic series.
Shifting gears... Regan's choir director nominated her to go with the Voyageurs Ambassadors of Music organization on a 15 day European concert tour next summer. After we received the information, we attended a meeting to learn more. Basically she wants to go, Rosalind can go, too, and oh, it's going to cost $5745 per child. Yes, you read that correctly, and no, we don't have that kind of cash.
After chewing on it for a weekend, we pinned the girls down on their commitment to do this or not. My parents see the tremendous opportunity and have the means and offered to pay half if the girls could come up with the other half. So we told the girls that if they would come up with half of their half, we'd match it. That is $2872.
Our girls have always had some type of summer job but never anything that required 100% of them all the time. They don't need anything really, and accumulating cash wasn't really a concern for them.
Putting it all together... But this... this opportunity along with the teaching they are hearing and personally agreeing with from church has lit a fire under them. We helped them organize a bit but have made them do all the work. Last week was their first full week of work, and those three teenage girls legitimately raked in $865 together. We're not talking about grossly overpaid donations, but justifiable payment for work performed. They are beating the streets, taking on odd jobs, washing vehicles, hauling off junk piles, house cleaning, and working their summer babysitting and other jobs, working for my dad and brother-in-law. Now, I'm not anticipating that they can pull this off every week with church camps, ball camps and mission trips, etc., but they have an opportunity to meet their goal, and they've proven to themselves that they can do this with maximum effort.
Another thing that happened this week is my mother-in-law tripped over a cat and fell into the house and broke her arm below the shoulder in a place that cannot be casted, only immobilized. Thus, she needs someone to be with her much of the day to help her with her personal needs, the garden and keep her house functioning. This has been another way for my girls' other grandparents to help with this European trip. They have offered to pay the girls to take turns helping care for her. If the girls weren't available, they'd have to hire someone else to do this because no one is available all of the time. This unfortunate situation provides Rodney's parents a way to contribute hugely by providing them a job while meeting a crucial need of their own.
The gift... Without this trip on the horizon and the Outlasters series in church, I don't think we could have motivated our girls to work like they have. I don't see it ending either. Rayne isn't going to Europe next summer because she will still be too young, but she and Rosalind will be able to go in 2017. The three girls have a deal worked out so that Rayne will help them work this summer, but she will also receive some money along. The summer of 2017 is a VERY long ways away for a 13 year old to stay focused on with no reward. So this working for something will be perpetual for them, and hopefully they will learn many many lessons from it and create habits for a lifetime. What a blessing we have been given, and we are extremely thankful.
The back story... On the eve of Easter, (silent Saturday) we had a little family meeting. We were trying to decide where to go to church for Easter. We basically had three choices: our home church that we left a couple years ago, our current church we've transiently settled on, or a new LifeChurch.tv plant (The Edge) that is about a year old. Everyone had a different idea and different motives. We went to bed with the decision unsettled.
Easter morning, Rodney and I made the executive decision together and told the girls that we were going to The Edge. My oldest had made plans to go with a friend to our home church, and I told her to call it off because she was going with us. She was not happy with me but did not protest.
We got dressed, got in the car and drove to church without much discussion or conversation.
Of course there were people there who we knew. We have a broad range of people with whom we are acquainted on this half of the state. We had an idea what it would be like, but we just couldn't make ourselves go before now.
After the service, walking to the car, I asked my oldest if she was glad that I made her come. She was. She was radiant as were the rest of us. We've been every Sunday since.
One series that Craig Groeschel just finished was called Outlasters. If you're familiar with Bruce Wilkenson's three chair series, it's very similar. Our kids were hanging on every word. He talked about learning to appreciate work and embrace it as well as leaving a legacy and developing a real one-on-one relationship with God and not settling with a vicarious one through a parent. Believe me, that's the scarce nutshell of the fantastic series.
Shifting gears... Regan's choir director nominated her to go with the Voyageurs Ambassadors of Music organization on a 15 day European concert tour next summer. After we received the information, we attended a meeting to learn more. Basically she wants to go, Rosalind can go, too, and oh, it's going to cost $5745 per child. Yes, you read that correctly, and no, we don't have that kind of cash.
After chewing on it for a weekend, we pinned the girls down on their commitment to do this or not. My parents see the tremendous opportunity and have the means and offered to pay half if the girls could come up with the other half. So we told the girls that if they would come up with half of their half, we'd match it. That is $2872.
Our girls have always had some type of summer job but never anything that required 100% of them all the time. They don't need anything really, and accumulating cash wasn't really a concern for them.
Putting it all together... But this... this opportunity along with the teaching they are hearing and personally agreeing with from church has lit a fire under them. We helped them organize a bit but have made them do all the work. Last week was their first full week of work, and those three teenage girls legitimately raked in $865 together. We're not talking about grossly overpaid donations, but justifiable payment for work performed. They are beating the streets, taking on odd jobs, washing vehicles, hauling off junk piles, house cleaning, and working their summer babysitting and other jobs, working for my dad and brother-in-law. Now, I'm not anticipating that they can pull this off every week with church camps, ball camps and mission trips, etc., but they have an opportunity to meet their goal, and they've proven to themselves that they can do this with maximum effort.
Another thing that happened this week is my mother-in-law tripped over a cat and fell into the house and broke her arm below the shoulder in a place that cannot be casted, only immobilized. Thus, she needs someone to be with her much of the day to help her with her personal needs, the garden and keep her house functioning. This has been another way for my girls' other grandparents to help with this European trip. They have offered to pay the girls to take turns helping care for her. If the girls weren't available, they'd have to hire someone else to do this because no one is available all of the time. This unfortunate situation provides Rodney's parents a way to contribute hugely by providing them a job while meeting a crucial need of their own.
The gift... Without this trip on the horizon and the Outlasters series in church, I don't think we could have motivated our girls to work like they have. I don't see it ending either. Rayne isn't going to Europe next summer because she will still be too young, but she and Rosalind will be able to go in 2017. The three girls have a deal worked out so that Rayne will help them work this summer, but she will also receive some money along. The summer of 2017 is a VERY long ways away for a 13 year old to stay focused on with no reward. So this working for something will be perpetual for them, and hopefully they will learn many many lessons from it and create habits for a lifetime. What a blessing we have been given, and we are extremely thankful.
Great post, great idea and great fruit from all God is doing!
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