Becoming a Productive Family

We have a vision and it's getting clearer the older we get and the more we learn from others who have gone ahead of us. We have been so inspired by Generations with Vision and Western Conservatory. We are encouraging our children to be productive with their hands. We don't need to be a one income family, we can be an 8 income family!! We want to pay off our farm, a big goal, but if we all work together and pool our talents, resources and time, we can do it! Our culture is full of laziness and living for the weekend. Kids are seen as a burden, leeches that suck all the money out of your pockets. Teens are expected to be driven around to all their activities and you're a bad parent if they are ever bored. If they ever do work, the money is for them to keep, of course! That's not the way we're doing things around here. We are a FAMILY economy! We want to help each of our children discover their way to contribute to the family and stewarding God's resources. Our daughters run 4 businesses: "Bunnies for Bibles" and "Happy Hens" with a brood of 41 laying hens, and "Sister Starts" growing vegetable starts in our greenhouse. They are starting up "Granola Girls" and they will sell our homemade granola at the Sandy Farmer's Market the first Saturday of each month. Both of them are feverishly researching the pros and cons of owning a dairy cow too. They would love to milk a cow twice a day all year long to help us pay off our farm! It is so rewarding to see my children grow in their skills, passions and knowledge in order to produce something that blesses others and is done in a God-honoring way. There is such a lack of healthy food available these days. It is satisfying for them to raise healthy plants, eggs, and animals the right way. I can't wait to see what my sons do...bees? ...beef? If I could offer any encouragement to young parents it would be this: teach your children to work six days a week and to find satisfaction in their work. This is what brings glory to God and purpose to man. Teach them to work as a family team, accomplishing more together than apart. They will help us get debt free and then we will help them be debt free. When you're in debt you are a slave. Teach them capitalism. Teach them that they can create wealth. There's no lack of wealth in the world, there's only a lack of people willing to work hard! You don't have to wait for your husband to find the perfect business to work from home, you can help your children create their own businesses. "She works with eager hands...her arms are strong for her tasks...she makes...she plants...her lamp does not go out at night...her children arise and call her blessed" Prov 31. You can be that kind of woman and you can raise that kind of woman or man. Become a producer, not a consumer! Just thought I'd share how we're working toward our vision of being a productive family.