The Stewardship of Family

by Rick Lovall | Director, The Stewardship Group

The concepts of stewardship extend far beyond finances. Anything God has placed in your life should be stewarded, or managed, in such a way as to honor God. The long list of God’s blessings to be stewarded can include time, talents, treasures, ministries, homes, friendships, our bodies, and even our families. When it comes to the stewardship of family, being intentional about how you spend time together will help cultivate a wonderful life lived for the Lord.

The practice of stewardship across all areas of life requires intentionality. No one accidently becomes healthy, wealthy, or discipled. Each outcome is a result of intentional effort. Establishing family priorities and communicating them frequently will help ensure goals and dreams are achieved. It should go without saying that church attendance, youth group involvement, and other church activities should be prioritized on the family calendar. Other Christ-based activities such as daily devotionals and prayer around the dinner table are commonplace in a Christian home. Yet none of these activities happen without effort. Again, stewardship requires intentionality.

The same can be said about the stewardship of family time, specifically time spent making family memories. Parents around the world all agree with the old saying, “Don’t blink or they’ll be grown and gone.” Each season of life should be met with the intentional effort to make the most out of it. While I’m not suggesting every family adventure be planned and scripted down to the hour, I am suggesting a lack of planning will result in missed opportunities.

My wife and I have two teenage sons, ages 14 and 19. When the oldest was about four years old we started planning what become known as #familyfundays. Our family fun days initially required the following four elements:

1. Must be able to drive there and back in one day.

• Long distance travel can be burdensome on small children. The excitement of adventure wears off if it takes too long to get there. We were surprised by all we discovered within a two-hour drive of home. Take time to make a list of all the places you could visit within a set time limit. Websites such as Trip Advisor, Yelp, and Viator are great resources for researching activities within specific areas. Don’t overlook festivals that offer fun, food, and local culture.

2. Must cost less than $100.

• Although we established the $100 budget, we often had “Zero Dollar Days” where every activity had to be free. State parks, historical places, museums, geological sites, festivals, sunflower fields, and even random public access areas can be fun places to have a picnic and play games. Memories do not have to cost money to be amazing.

3. Must include a “Kodak moment.”

• Kodak moments are often spontaneous. However, some of our favorite pictures have been pre-planned, such as driving to a specific location to watch a sunrise or sunset.

4. Must include something that at least one family member has not previously experienced.

• It’s not an adventure without discovery. Many of our family fun days were complete surprises to everyone except the one who planned it. “What are we eating today?” was the first thing the boys wanted to know. New foods, views, and experiences have accumulated into a wide variety of memories that we often share and laugh about together.

Our simple adventures have included trips to an old grist mill where the boys played in the stream that powered the mill, eating at a restaurant that served two-inch thick pork chops and the waitresses wore dresses in late 1800’s fashion, fishing in a kid’s-only trout stream, and visiting a variety of museums. An all-time favorite adventure was a trip to Discovery Park of America in Union City, Tennessee, complete with a ride on the Dorena-Hickman Ferry across the Mississippi River between Missouri and Kentucky. Our boys have often recalled the ride across the river on the ferry as one of their favorite adventures. The simplicity of the adventure is often the best part of it. Never underestimate the potential of simplicity.

The components of a great family memory can be as wide and varied as one’s imagination will allow. As our boys have grown, so have our adventures. Regardless of what we do or where we go, “Kodak Moments” and new experiences are always prioritized. Our extended families are often included because family time is for the whole family, even those we consider family but are not related to.

Intentionality is often the key to success for any great effort. This point cannot be overemphasized when it comes to the stewardship of family time. The cherished memories shared during funerals, family reunions, holiday meals, or anniversary celebrations help families relive experiences in which time spent together meant more than anything else. Be intentional about stewarding a fruitful life that honors the Lord and blesses your family. The memories made will be priceless.