With the difficulty in gathering together right now with extended family, how are you creating and treasuring special moments with your family? It truly is a challenge, especially across generations. Not meeting face to face create opportunities for ingenuity, creativity and perhaps a skill set you didn’t know you had. Here are three considerations as you rise to the challenge of connecting especially during the month of December, a month full of traditions and special occasions.
1. Examine what connections you can make
Our families have so many variables in getting connected. Some are working outside the home. Others are in a bubble in their home. Some feel their extended families are not safe. How will you negotiate together what connections to make? How can you make your own desires known, whether or not they can all be met?
For example, one family I know has ordered an inflatable snowman to make things festive and will have an outdoor party, complete with outdoor heaters.and everyone wearing masks. Another family I know will quarantine the outside workers in the family before they all gather together. Much of the planning and gathering or not gathering depends on communication.
If not gathering, what connections can be made on zoom or other means of electronics, like a family dinner together online?
2. Consider what you can share to make connections memorable
You have special gifts and talents to share with your family, some they may not even know about that could be shared. This may be the year to do something different and share part of you to make treasured memories.
For example, one gramma I know will be playing her clarinet for her family. Her young grandchildren will be quite surprised. Another gramma does yoga and will be doing movement games with her young grandsons. I am making ornaments with my 7 and 9-year-old granddaughters because I know they already have the materials and we all love making things. My oldest granddaughter told me, “I like making things if it looks good the first time and it doesn’t take long.!”
3. Connect with others in a way that is meaningful to them
With adults, you may decide you want to play games. With children, you may want to ponder some of their interests or ask them. You are the one taking the lead to make it happen, yet showing that you know what is important to whoever you are connecting with. What resources will you need to tap into to make it happen?
What about you?
As you consider connecting and creating treasured memories this year, what is truly important to you? to your family? How might you begin to start a conversation?
I am praying for your connections in creating those treasured memories. As the LORD told Joshua in Joshua 1:9, NLT:
9 This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
May you find the courage and strength to create treasured connections this month.
Blessings,
Nancy