I’m not a gambling woman, but when I made a decision to lay down EVERYTHING for the well-being and development of my children, I saw myself at this poker table.  There I was putting it all on the line.  A great salary making over $65k, relationships, all my time, all my dreams, and significant roles…everything I once allowed to define me was on this table and I had no idea what my sons were to become.  The stakes are high and I’m putting it all on the table!

Begin with the end in mind

So I’m beginning with the end in mind.  Start with the expected outcome and work backward to make your dream or goal a reality.  I love this 7 Habits lesson from Stephen Covey! The end goal for each of my sons is Daniel, a young man of deep convictions who knew and understood God and was all-around the best of the best. If I had a girl, these characteristics would still apply. 

The Characteristics of Daniel:

(this list is based on the historical account of Daniel’s life found in the Bible)

  • No blemish, but good-looking
  • Gifted in all wisdom
  • Full of knowledge
  • Quick to understand
  • Ability to serve
  • Ability to learn a foreign language
  • Skilled in all literature
  • Understood visions and dreams
  • Man of prayer
  • Devoted to God
  • Courageous and bold
  • An excellent spirit in him
  • No error or fault found in him
  • Ability to communicate and negotiate with peers and leaders
  • A positive leader among his peers
  • Ability to be in the presence of lions and not be eaten

That’s just to name a few.

Sidenote: I’m a strong believer that Daniel’s mother was a bad mamma jamma!  In his youth, Daniel was set apart and considered the best by foreign officials.  This level of development can only be the fruit of intentional, Godly parenting. So now that I’ve established my end goal, every experience I plan, every school they attend (or not attend), every television show they watch, every caregiver I choose, every conversation they hear, every relationship we have, every bedtime discussion we have, every spiritual gift we activate, every move our family takes, and EVERY decision we make must line up to produce that final outcome.  I’m All In!