The Family WORK + OUT x2

Be the family that enjoys doing work outside. Is it hard to do? It can be. When it is hard work, you all get the added benefit of getting a good, vigorous and productive workout together. We know, the initial thought of you, your kids and/or your grandchildren all working (not playing) as a family may very well be the ultimate, “Are you serious? No Way!”

But, come on, push beyond the immediate doubt and trepidation and you’re going to find that getting work done outside for your own family AND others isn’t just possible it also gives you a huge sense of accomplishment that’s real, measurable, builds your bond as a family and fuels spiritual growth in God.

YOU DON’T KNOW ‘MY’ FAMILY!

So, you’re thinking 1 or more of the following:

• We just don’t have that kind of time.
• I’m lucky if I can get us to all eat a meal together.
• There’s no way all of us would put down our devices at one time.
• Won’t we get dirty?
• Fun? Really? No way!

Hold on… Those are some legit reservations. In today’s culture getting the family to work outside to achieve a benefit for the family, let alone for someone else, is very counter culture. But guess what, you may be more counter culture than you realize.

Even though media, society, social influencers and piers are actively preaching to you a vision of less work, their own definitions of family and self-gratification, according to a Barna report Millennials (and perhaps you too) have 5 reasons to want to stay connected to church. These 5 reasons may deep down be big drivers in your family’s values. If so, then to work outside together will do more to satisfy your family than you know.

Take a look, discuss them together and consider how God may be at work in your family more than you realize:

1. Make room for meaningful relationships. Work can give your family a common purpose – a shared goal to achieve. Meaningful relationships grow out of hard work and facing hardships together. The many sides of communication: encouragement and misunderstandings, instruction and listening, ideas and misdirected efforts, the good and the bad all together are what make family relationships more meaningful by God’s grace.
2. Teach cultural discernment. Ask your family and they’ll likely agree that work outside to benefit your family and others (the ‘x2’ perspective) is not their purpose in life. But, it most certainly will help all of you together to better understand your purpose in life. You’ll experience the joy of contributing to your household and contributing to society.
3. Make reverse mentoring a priority. Your family working together is often reverse engineering from how family life DE-velops. Your family becomes weaker when children perceive parents to be bossy and critical and when parents are slow to see how children are growing, emotionally maturing and looking for and discovering ways to innovate. Working outside as a family is a real workout that God can use in powerful ways to fuel the give and take between children and parents.
4. Embrace the potency of vocational discipleship. Simply put when you get out and work all of you as a family will experience how ‘doing’ drives ‘calling’. The work, being outside and being family helps all of you to better connect with foundational qualities of the Christian faith that have developed throughout history. Beyond making the connections you’ll find that working outside as a family helps you to more deeply embrace and let God personally define your faith journey.
5. Facilitates connection with Jesus. Working around your home or doing something for others can make faith more deep and real. You’re not doing this because you have to do it, to put on a show or because you presume the Bible says it’s the right thing to do. Instead this will help make the Bible become more alive to you. It will foster a more intimate relationship with Christ. Jesus, family and self-worth become more integrated.

SO LET’S DO THIS!

Brainstorm ideas and projects that you can do together as a family – for your family and for someone else. It might be yard work, a building project, washing the car or house windows, grooming a pet, planting flowers, running some errands, preparing for and hosting an outdoor gathering. The ideas are endless but likely won’t come to you all at once so use a note page on your phone to to add ideas when they come to mind. Then share them with your family.

Next pick a date and make it a date. BUT – remember that working outside together as a family can sometimes be a simple impromptu activity. So, build the skill of being able to jump in together for 30 minutes and get something done.

Don’t sweat the sweat. Yeah, you all might get a little gross, smelly, loud, stupid or dangerous. Don’t be afraid to go for it, give it to God and manage to manage it the best you can. Look in each other’s eyes, be patient, forgive, laugh. This is your team to high-five. Your family has got you and God’s got your family.

CONTACT US and share what you did and experienced as part of your Family WORK + OUT x2.