Vision for our Children

As I watched my children play at the park with another wonderful family this morning, I witnessed something amazing. Our family vision being played out. God has gifted each of our girls so differently, it is wonderful to watch the variance of ways those gifts are used. Our little Elizabeth loves to nurture and care for others. She patiently and gently followed our friends 1 year old boy around helping him play and making sure he didn't get hurt. Julia with a little prompting from me made sure to really include everyone in play, which happened to be being pirate's on a ship! How good it was to see them using their strength's.


This has got me thinking about vision for them. If my days are so filled with schedules and work, will I notice their gifts? If I am too busy with keeping up of home and don't stop to really listen and see who my child is, will I be able to see where I need to encourage them and give them vision? How many of my days have been vision less and just surviving. But of what use is survival beyond my own benefit? That is certainly not my vision and long term desire for my girls to simply survive, but, to thrive and influence the world for Christ.


So where does vision begin? Do we as mother's simply wait until the children are old enough to have their own vision? Or maybe we wait for someone else to give them vision. There are sources aplenty waiting to gobble up the opportunity to hold our children captive in their visions. Let's not wait to deprogram them, but, let's start as soon as we can. Do you see your toddler cuddling her baby and gently caring for her. This is a great opportunity to let her know she's going to be a great mom. Does your little guy love to take things apart and figure them out, let him know he is being a little engineer.


God has such amazing plans for each of us and our children we need to instill in our children a vision and goal of achieving all God has in store for their lives. It is simply not enough to point out the wrongs and let them know our disappointment. We must point out the rights and grow them.


My challenge to myself and other's is to find something to grow vision in for each child. Maybe for my reader, that she will someday write great stories. For my tenderhearted child that she will be a great care taker of other's hearts. For my content puzzle player, that she will be able to search and solve puzzles of all kinds in life. For my joyful baby that she will bring smiles to many faces.


The challenge lies not only in seeing strengths and creating goals for them, but, in seeing weakness's and creating vision for these also. Does your child struggle with looking people in the eye. Give them vision for the day that they can confidently speak to others. Do you have a small child who doesn't like to share? Give them a vision of them helping other's to learn how to share because they will be so good at it some day.


When our children are little we can give vision and then help them with the tools for achieving their vision. As they get older they will need to seek the Lord's vision for their life and own the process of working towards that vision, but, we will always be their cheerleaders. Why not start now while they are little and give them the guided experience, so that when the day comes that God calls them they will already have many success's in working towards a vision to draw from.