Stop.  Put your pencils down.  Fold your hands on top of your desk.  Time is up!  

Our summer of intentionality contest has officially come to an end.  As you may recall, we have been asking Lake Pointe families to share how they have tried to be intentional about building a God-honoring home.  And while we always want to hear new stories and ideas, no more entries will be considered for prizes.  In June we announced the first round of winners.  (Click HERE for those stories.)  We are now reviewing the remaining entries to select our grand prize recipients which we will announce in a few weeks. 

Meanwhile, we thought you might find these three stories encouraging…

LIFE GIVING WOMAN

Melissa Geraci shared this story...

My husband, Michael, recently returned from his year long deployment in Iraq.  Our daughter turned 6 months old the week that he deployed and my biggest fear, aside from raising her by myself for a year, was that she would not know who her daddy was when he returned.  I wanted to make sure I did lots of things during the year to help her remember her daddy and teach her about who he was.  Before he left, I video taped him reading books so that he would have a chance to read her bedtime stories too and she could learn his voice.  Every morning we would say “Good Morning” to daddy’s picture that I kept on the refrigerator and every night we would say “night-night” and kiss a picture of him that I kept by her crib.  I also tried to talk about him and tell her stories about her daddy throughout the day. 

Michael was able to come home for his 2 week leave from Iraq in February when Haylie was then 15 months old.   Michael shared with me that he was worried that Haylie would be afraid of him since he had heard many stories from other returning soldier’s whose young children didn’t know who they were.  I had everyone praying that Haylie would know who her daddy was when he came home.   When he walked off the plane, he gave me a big hug and immediately Haylie said “Daddy” and put her arms out for him to hold her.  It was such an amazing moment.   She knew exactly who her daddy was and wouldn’t let him put her down the whole time. He had to return back after the 2 weeks were over and we had to wait until April for him to return for good.  We weren’t sure if she would still remember him, but again, Haylie knew exactly who he was.  It was like he had never left.  It was such a real life example tome of Deut 6:6-9.

“These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the door frames of your house sand on your gates.”

In that verse I realized how important it was for me to share daily not only about her earthly father, but even more so about her Heavenly Father.  I want her to know how faithful and loving Christ is, and if we don’t share Christ with our kids, they might never know.  I have witnessed first hand how sharing with my child every day works amazing well.  I now make a conscious effort daily to share all about Christ with our daughter.

I am attaching a picture of our family that was taken the day before he deployed and a picture at the airport when he returned home for his 2 week leave.

INTENTIONAL OR BUST!

About 3 years ago the Songers learned about the “Family Night” routine where you set aside one night per week to focus on the kids, being together and simply having fun.  Their favorites included tickle/wrestle night, hot cocoa by the fireplace and read night, trampoline night, movie and popcorn night and game night.  This past January they heard about ideas contained in the Just Add Family kit.  As Janet Songer tells it… “After your unique program was introduced about building strong families, I was fueled and ready to go!  We still do our family activity each week, but have added the spiritual lessons at the beginning of each time.”  Janet has written some of the family’s favorite family nights in a Family Journal which is kept on the coffee table to read whenever they want to relive those special memories.  One of the Songers’ favorite memories includes the time they did a scavenger hunt with flashlights around the house.  “I was teaching my boys about God’s Word being a guiding light, like the light used in the hunt to find our way.  I used the verse ‘Thy word is a lamp unto my feet…’ and Jeremiah 15:16 about God’s word being joy…”  The Songers had an 8 year old neighbor over that night and “he still talks about it!  Too cool!” 

THE MANLY MAN

Wes Stecker shared this example of intentionality…

After studying my son for some time certain qualities, passions and joys have made themselves apparent.  Among many, one is his love for music...specifically worship music.  I have noticed how quickly he catches onto lyrics heard from CDs in the car, DVDs on the television, and songs sung while he’s in church.  Trying to capitalize on his talent and love of music (and specifically of the guitar) I decided to become intentional about learning a song or two on my own guitar.  When I realized our worship/singing time together was a big hit, I knew I’d need to get him his own guitar.  I found an acoustic that I “played” when I was his age and got it set up for him.  Now we have jam sessions where we lift up praises to our Lord in song and build relational capital with each other.  I hope that this foundation of vocal worship will be the beginnings of shaping my son’s whole life into a life that worships (ascribes worth to) Jesus and his life, death and resurrection.

Thanks to everyone who participated in this contest.  We plan to share some of your ideas and stories in coming days in order to help inspire others to become more intentional at home!