Think Goose!

Yesterday afternoon and evening our family had a "Family Meeting," as our family gatherings is called when there is a more formal purpose to the event.

The discussion that followed our "Family Meeting" announcement, was somewhat, okay totally unconventional.

Questions such as "what do you see lacking in your life? What would you like to be doing that you are not doing now? Are you able to fulfill all that the Lord has placed on your heart, what/how? What do you feel you need to be doing that you aren't able to do because of the circumstances and resources (or lack there of) in our life right now? If there were one place in America that you would like to live, where would it be? If there were one place in the world that you would like to live, where would it be?"

Personal questions, such as these, were then written down on a white-board, thanks to my wonderful mother (who's long-hand is actually legible, unlike most of the rest of us), and then dictated into one of my note books, thanks to myself (whose hand writing can either be legible or mistaken for a code, depending on the speed and mood at the moment :).

As mom wrote onto the white board, and I moved all that was white-board-writting onto hard-cover (using the method of note-taking, of course), I began to notice some startling similarities.

For starters, where we would like to live:

Miester man stated that he would like to continue living out on "the acreage," and he "really hadn't thought about living any where else." (We moved there when he was three, and my baby sister was an infant).

My youngest sister responded with "I would like to live in Ohio, and if there was any where in the world that I would like to be, it would be Florida... It's so warm there, and it is beautiful! So many trees and plants! And palm trees are beautiful" (she has never been to FL before ;) We thought that was so cute!)

Theoderek's answer was simple, "Either Texas or Alaska" (way to give us an example of "juxtaposition," bro!) "and either Mongolia or Africa, are the places I would like to live, if I could, any where in the world."

Me, myself and I, answered with absolute clarity of mind. "I want to live in the South West(Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico area), or, definitely Israel." I can say the latter with complete confidence in myself. Israel is a place I have wanted to live, at least for a short time, since I could comprehend that the world is a humongous globe that has hundreds of places to be discovered (by quizzical little girls, that is :)

Mom responded, surprisingly, nearly exactly the same way I did. "Southwest area/ Northern New Mexico, Northern California, or Israel..."

Gosh! Do Great Minds Think Alike, or what?

Dad, after truly thinking about it, confessed that there was actually no particular place that he would like to live more than any other place, but that he would like to like in Israel for a short time, because of political unrest, violence, war, etc. It being a war-torn, conflicting, highly political country and all, making it rather unsafe for Americans (but I still want to live there some day...)

We then discussed what each of us "thought this family was about." What is it that we each feel is an important part that makes up our family.

Again, the similarities were most surprising.
More than once the phrase "we're about education" was mentioned, at least by the older people in the home. The two Little's (Miester and Banana) really didn't understand what was being discussed, and decided that blowing up Polly-town with Bionicles was a lot more fun than listening to "what our family is about." (of course Banana objects, stating that Bionicles are "stupid" and "don't do that to my set up!" Which ended in a bickering match. But hey, it's family bonding, right? I'm just kidding... sort 'a...)

Dad is also fascinated with the Hebraic culture/ church, and has a heart for supporting this. The Hebraic culture is very much family based, and so we as individuals (and therefore, as a family) agreed that this, also, was highly important to our family as a whole.

All this similar thinking takes me back to recall 'The Aristocats,' when the geese, Amelia and Abigail Gabble are telling the rich family of cats how they are to behave, when Amelia and Abigail give them direction...
"Think goose....." "Yes, my dear, think goose!"

The mother cat replies along the lines of, "Think goose?"

The "Think Goose," concept entails waddling (like a goose) and following in line, behind none other than the Gabble Gals. In perfect sync the group of two geese, two cats and three kittens follows to the music, in perfect sync, waddling their way into town. How charming!

As a family, we, in a sense, are called to, "think goose."

Think as one. Through thinking as one, we will, eventually, act as one. One family. One body. One movement. One earth-rumbler... Well, okay, maybe it doesn't have to be quite that dramatic, but it certainly wouldn't hurt... :)

What better way to begin this process than with sharing our dreams: dream for ourselves, dreams for the familyl What resources we are lacking which is keeping us incapable of completing those dreams. And then, of course, acting on these dreams. Acting on the next step to completing our family dreams, and individual dreams....

And what better time, than now. A time where we, as a family, are in the midst of a serious life-shift.

What better time to hear, listen to, look and consider who is feeling and what it is that causes unhappiness in our family... No better time "Than the now..." (Edna Mode, 'The Incredible's)

And you, my friend, what better time to grow as an individual, grow as a family, and share your dreams, than "The Now?!" So your family, too, may "Think Goose!"

God richly bless and keep you safe, bless and protect your family, and lead you into His Divine wisdom, in all that you do!

Miss. Elisabeth