There are many things that compete for the time and attention of families. People are constantly making decisions about what things should have priority in their lives. Are your family’s highest priorities in life the things you believe to be the most important?
Sometimes people spend their resources of time or money on things that bring the least reward in terms of what they really value. Families need to regularly review their goals of what will bring individual and family happiness. Then they need to see if they are spending time doing things that bring them lasting joy. If they aren’t happy they need to re-evaluate their priorities and actions and have the courage to make changes. If they don’t, they may climb the ladder of success only to find that it’s leaning against the wrong wall. Too late families may regret how they spent the years they had together.
To help your family examine what you value most, name things you enjoy doing as a family. Now talk about how often you do the things you really enjoy. Answer these questions:
- What does our list of things we enjoy doing tell us about what we value most?
- What does how often we do these things tell us about our priorities?
Despite what you say, what you do shows how you really feel. What you spend your time doing will show what you really want for your family. The following poem illustrates:
Where the Heart Is
Think long dear heart
Before you choose
To what or whom
You give your love
For God has said
And time has proved
The heart that loves
Grows soon alike
In thought and deed
In soul and sight
To that which it
But treasures most
-William Bagwell
Decide as a family to spend more time doing the things that will strengthen you and make you happy. The following activity will help you look to the future.
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