Family road trips are the BEST!

When we first started our business, we weren’t making the progress as quickly as we wanted.  We couldn’t figure out why either.  We kept moving forward but it was at the speed of a snail.  It didn’t feel like we were making any headway. 

In the middle of this, we took an extended family vacation where we loaded up our 4 kids in the car and drove from Colorado to Red Lake Canada.  If you’ve never been to Red Lake, I’ll give you a quick rundown on it.  You go straight north from where Minnesota and Canada meet about 7 hours.  It was an awesome drive.  We spent 24 hours in the car and saw countless awe-inspiring things along the route. 

It was on the drive where we really had time to reconnect with each other and talk.  That’s one the reasons we love driving so much.  All of the time to reconnect as a family is amazing.  During those times we talked about the business and where we wanted it to go what we really wanted to be able to accomplish with it.  Without ever writing a word, we made our business plan and set up goals. 

We spent a week in Canada and enjoyed every second of the time.  We rented a small fishing boat for a day and caught tons of fish.  Our youngest son caught his first Pike!  Our oldest caught a small mouth bass.  Which we didn’t see as a huge accomplishment but after talking to the locals, they said that anyone who catches a bass in those lakes is truly blessed.  We took a biplane tour of the lake, taking off and landing on the lake several times.  In the air, we saw a couple of bears and even were blessed with the privilege of seeing two Bull Moose.  What is the plural of moose, meese?  Who knows.  Lol.  My wife and went out one evening and found an ole dirt road and went for a drive until sunset.  It was an amazing experience all together.  Oh yeah who could forget we had to try poutine, a Canadian fry dish.  It was great ehhh. Lol.

After we left Red Lake, we headed off to Pennsylvania, another 24 hours in the car.  During the trip, our entire family continued to reconnect.  Our kids were getting along great; my wife and I were able to talk more about every aspect of life.  We had just left Wisconsin when it hit us both at the same time.  Why don’t we name God as the CEO of our company?  It will no longer be ours but we will run his business!  I would say that there was just about, as much as excitement about that as when we found out we were pronate with our kids!  It happened almost like a movie.  We both said it at the same time. 

There wasn’t much discussion in the matter after that.  It was decided, we didn’t own the company any longer, God did.  It was our job to work for him and run it the way he wants.  We would pray before all meetings, we would include verses on all of our web pages.  It was his company we are just here to be the hands that will run it, we are his stewards. 

We started making the changes necessary immediately.  We stopped referring to the company as mine or ours and called as it was.  I changed my title from CEO to COO and published that GOD was the new CEO of Eclipse.  Almost immediately, the wheels started turning again and the company started moving forward. 

We spent the next week in PA at a family camp.  It was a blast!!  Our kids loved it.  If you ever get the chance to be chaperones at a family camp do it.  Take your kids and let them have some freedom while you watch, join in, and enjoy it.  We will never forget these times. 

From there we drove to West Texas for work, another 24 hour drive.  Spend the week there and headed back to colorful Colorado after that. 

This trip was one that changed our lives forever.  We made decisions that allowed us to let go of stress.  We reconnected as a family and grew in ways that we never thought possible.  I am convinced that if we wouldn’t have taken this trip then our business wouldn’t have God as its CEO.  I am so greatful that he led us to take time for us to enjoy our family.  He led me to know that time is our most valuable commodity.  We can always make more money, we can always make new friends, but we can never get a second of our day back. 

Your kids are only young once don’t squander your time with them.