Okay, I admit it. I am a little slow.
Our kids are both grown and gone from our home and have homes and families of their own. They are busy taking care of their everydays just as their parents were 25 years ago. Realistically, I am looking at what are to be the final years of my life and now I am stepping up and saying “I have a vision for our family”. What gives?
I won’t attempt to answer the "why?" and "why now?" questions at this point. (Many of my reasons would be obvious to anyone living in this country now with their eyes open.) For right now I will simply say that having lived for 57 years and having my eyes open for a good part of that time, I feel compelled, though not totally qualified, to offer a vision for our family to examine and hopefully to embrace. What I now offer here are the bare bones, the frame work of a vision which will need to be fleshed-out and filled-in.
My vision is to establish an intergenerational family homestead populated by members of our extended family living interdependently in the context of a self-sustaining family economy. In this arrangement we would seek to live largely independent of outside entities for energy, food, fuel, and entertainment. Within this environment, each family member would be encouraged to explore, learn, develop and excel in those areas wherein they have been gifted. Each family member would participate in a share of the work necessary to provide for the needs of the entire family.
This intergenerational home will be a Bible-based Christian home; a home where each member is encouraged to live out his/her personal commitment to Christ as Lord and to grow toward maturity in Christ. This will be a home where we together develop an awareness of God’s presence, provision, and direction.
My paternal grandpa died on his 84th birthday. My dad is 87 and getting along pretty well. At 57 years of age, I will not presume to have 30 more years or even 30 more days. However, in its scope this vision is intended to encompass my final years (however many of them God will grant) and more importantly, it is my hope that the quality of life afforded by the living out of this vision will prove to be so pleasant, productive, and fulfilling that it will be continued in those generations of my family that follow. In other words, my hope is it will lead to a legacy as well as a lifestyle.
I have plenty of ideas and opinions on how to go about the process of fleshing out each component goal of this vision. However, I believe it will be better achieved in collusion with other family members who will likewise embrace and own the vision. In order to help us find our way in this direction, I expect to draw from several resources including people who have studied and written about the intergenerational family and home; people who have contemplated and lived the agrarian life in times past as well as those presently engaged in it.
And I hope to gain insight from those of you who may read this blog and care to share your thoughts and experiences. In return, I will attempt to regularly and honestly record here our progress (or the lack thereof) with the hope that it will encourage others.
Our kids are both grown and gone from our home and have homes and families of their own. They are busy taking care of their everydays just as their parents were 25 years ago. Realistically, I am looking at what are to be the final years of my life and now I am stepping up and saying “I have a vision for our family”. What gives?
I won’t attempt to answer the "why?" and "why now?" questions at this point. (Many of my reasons would be obvious to anyone living in this country now with their eyes open.) For right now I will simply say that having lived for 57 years and having my eyes open for a good part of that time, I feel compelled, though not totally qualified, to offer a vision for our family to examine and hopefully to embrace. What I now offer here are the bare bones, the frame work of a vision which will need to be fleshed-out and filled-in.
My vision is to establish an intergenerational family homestead populated by members of our extended family living interdependently in the context of a self-sustaining family economy. In this arrangement we would seek to live largely independent of outside entities for energy, food, fuel, and entertainment. Within this environment, each family member would be encouraged to explore, learn, develop and excel in those areas wherein they have been gifted. Each family member would participate in a share of the work necessary to provide for the needs of the entire family.
This intergenerational home will be a Bible-based Christian home; a home where each member is encouraged to live out his/her personal commitment to Christ as Lord and to grow toward maturity in Christ. This will be a home where we together develop an awareness of God’s presence, provision, and direction.
My paternal grandpa died on his 84th birthday. My dad is 87 and getting along pretty well. At 57 years of age, I will not presume to have 30 more years or even 30 more days. However, in its scope this vision is intended to encompass my final years (however many of them God will grant) and more importantly, it is my hope that the quality of life afforded by the living out of this vision will prove to be so pleasant, productive, and fulfilling that it will be continued in those generations of my family that follow. In other words, my hope is it will lead to a legacy as well as a lifestyle.
I have plenty of ideas and opinions on how to go about the process of fleshing out each component goal of this vision. However, I believe it will be better achieved in collusion with other family members who will likewise embrace and own the vision. In order to help us find our way in this direction, I expect to draw from several resources including people who have studied and written about the intergenerational family and home; people who have contemplated and lived the agrarian life in times past as well as those presently engaged in it.
And I hope to gain insight from those of you who may read this blog and care to share your thoughts and experiences. In return, I will attempt to regularly and honestly record here our progress (or the lack thereof) with the hope that it will encourage others.
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