Your Take On Intentionality

I've had about ten responses to my blog on Being Intentional.  Some are direct responses you can read following the post.  Some came directly to me as e-mails and I wanted to report two of them to you. 

The first is about having one or two people with you in your life:  "You have convinced me that I need to have a friend or two around me who can help me be intentional about my career and my personal life."

And the second is longer, but filled with great ideas:  "I have five guys I walked with in college; now we're dispersed across America. Being intentional with them every week on the phone in a very intentional way doesn't let me hide things for more than 6 or 7 days.  They have a 100% open door into my soul and I know this has saved me some major heartache the last 5-6 years.  Not always easy or comfortable, but extremely necessary.  My wife and I are just reestablishing the habit (since St. Louis) of sitting together on the couch right when I first get home.  We have a 5--10 minute download of our day, our hearts, our hurts.  We call it 'couch time'--pretty creative!  We don't let the girls interrupt us.  We know that it is absolutely important that they see mom and dad love each other before we love them.  As Tim Coe said:  'if they know I love their mother, they'll be fine.'  Further, we try to have a sit-down dinner every night and we pray together."

Thanks, friends!  Great hearing from you.  Send more. 

--clyde

Comments

[O. Kay]

One of the things I've been "intentional" about over the past decade has been trying to encourage interaction/retain the connections among my nieces and nephews. My dad died in '94 and my mother died in '99 and their grandkids (my nieces and nephews)are living out their adulthoods in far-flung places like Boulder, Denver, St. Louis, Park City, Utah and Clearfield, Iowa. There are no more Henderson Family Easters, Thanksgivings or Christmas gatherings at the "ancestral home" in Lenox, Iowa, so I am trying to improvise.

I started up something dubbed "Aunt Kay Monthly" which was essentially an email to recap what's going on my life and what I know about the "kids" and their lives. It has fostered electronic discussion among the nieces and nephews -- and hopefully keeps them connected.

I also try to vacation with each or near each of them whenever possible. In addition, I am happy to report the nieces and nephews are talking among themselves about a Henderson cousins' camping trip -- partly because they know I hate camping and it will be hilarious fun to make Aunt Kay rough it with the kids.

[Paul Roberts]

8 years ago we established "Cousins Camp" on my wife's side of the family. The idea was for our children and those of my wife's two siblings to have regular fun time together. There were 8 kids ranging in age from 2-12. We started with camping for 2 years and then upgraded to a week at the beach. This year we were in KY for Memorial Day weekend because the kids ages are now 10-20 and they all have active lives. The purpose remains to give them time to interact and know their extended family. We play games, recreate, and of course, eat lots of good meals together. It's the highlight of the year.

[Bob Parker]

Clyde,

In your comments about Derry you say that in your opinion he was unbalanced in his reporting on Monsanto. That is probably right to some extent. What you seem to fail to understand is Derry is the other side and it is up to the listener to balance between both sides. Do you get that? Now, all we have is big Ag telling their side with no opposing viewpoints. I thought free speech was about being able to present both sides?

When has big Ag ever invited the opposition to their meetings and their publications? Hell, we can't even get into big Ag publications because they are afraid the opposing side with hurt the advertising budget. It's all about money, not free speech and balance and you know it.

May God have mercy on your greedy soul.

Bob Parker
Raymondville, MO