Balanced Challenge: Day 1

Is anyone still out there? I am probably the worse blogger known to mankind, but I think I am okay with that. I can only do what I can do. I would rather spend time with Wyatt during the day and sleep at night than spend my time on the computer while Wyatt plays alone or waste by precious sleeping time by staying up late to type a blog post. Sorry. ;o)  I have decided that it was worth breaking my 9 month hiatus by joining the Balanced Challenge with Tricia Goyer.  Pinterest is pretty much the only thing I do on the computer anymore because I can do it with one hand and half an eye-ball. I can open links and read them later or change my mind and close the window. It doesn't take much thought or concentration and I am able to get valuable information to help my life, parenting skills, teaching ideas, decorating ideas, etc...  I kept clicking on these pictures on pinterest that really seemed to apply to me. I opened all the windows and they all linked to the same challenge! The same thing happened the next day, and the next! I can take a hint. So I coughed up the $2.00 or so for the ebook to be sent to the kindle app on my ipad.  I started reading the book yesterday and thought I would just read the book without formally participating in the challenge online. After all, I hadn't posted on my blog in over 9 months. That hardly qualifies me as a blogger.  But then I started reading.  And I NEEDED to write down my answers to the questions at the end of each chapter. I also NEEDED to read the responses of other people reading this book and transforming their lives little by little each day. I clicked through everyone else's responses for the first three day's worth of challenges. I wrote my responses on paper in a spiral bound notebook.  Then it struck me how silly it was to do all the work and not keep the answers in any permanent way for anyone else to glean from. Not that I think I have too much to offer... but I figured I might want to remember my answers someday.  So here I go! I am officially joining the Balanced Challenge. I think I am something like 8 or 9 days late. Oh well! Better late than never, right?  Get Balanced!


This post is part of the Balancedchallenge with Tricia Goyer—and you can join, too!

March 11: Family Priorities (Chapter One)
Determine what your priorities as a family are. Ask yourself a few questions: What do we want to achieve as a family? What will matter five years from now—ten years from now? What will mold our children into God-serving adults? What will bring peace—not stress—to our home?


After reading everyone else's responses I created a list for my family. I haven't checked with Sparky yet, but I cannot imagine him having trouble with any of it. (No! I don't want to eat dinner with you and Wyatt in the evenings!)
I decided to create a list in an outline format because it appealed to be best. I stole copied from Kelly Stoner. Maybe if I link to her she won't mind too much that I took her idea. ;o)

Background info: Sparky (not his real name) and I have adopted one child, Wyatt. He turned 2 on January 2nd. Wyatt wants a "baby sister" but we are not currently working for that. We would love to adopt another baby, but Sparky needs to get an increase in salary first so we can afford daycare for two! Sparky is currently taking a class to earn master's degree salary, he only has two more classes to go after this one!!! WA-HOO!!!!
Since I have no idea if our second child will be a boy or a girl, I will be include the female pronouns just in case. Also, as my mom points out, no one may want to give us another baby so I will try to include the singular and plural when referring to one child or two chidlren...although that is proving to be hard to do without sounding ridiculous. In which case, I will assume my mom is crazy and people will be knocking down our door wanting to bless us with another baby and we will have two children. ;o)

1. Raise child(ren) to be Godly wo/men by:
       A. reading the Bible in front of them and with them (Child Training Bible, Jesus Storybook Bible, etc.)
       B. attending and being involved with a community of believers (ie Church- we need to find one Sparky and I both like)
       C. praying together (breakfast, before school, dinner, before bed, etc.)
2. Raise healthy, educated, responsible child(ren) by:
       A. teaching them/him about good nutrition
       B. teaching them/him HOW to learn
       C. intentionally teaching character and values (Joy School)
       D. limiting extra-curricular activities to one at a time per person
       E. limiting small groups to one at a time (Awana, Bible Study Fellowship, Good News Club, etc.)
3. Build our family bond by:
       A. having dinner together as much as possible
       B. spending quality time together
       C. Having weekly family meetings to discuss what is working well and what isn't, as well as discuss the upcoming weekly calendar (include the "Joys" as child(ren) get older)
       D. being aware that we are each part of a family unit and each have responsibilities in it
4. Seek God's direction for our lives individually and as a family, and follow him

This exercise was actually quite nice just so I could pull all of my resources together. I can see where I still need to fill in some spaces and where I have already fleshed out some great plans. I think having all of this typed up will help me follow through in areas where I currently just have good intentions.