For the past couple of months, we've started having a "regular" family meeting. I say "regular" because the time and place have moved around a bit, veering from our plan of a scheduled, repeating event, but one thing we are definitely learning in this season is flexibility. For a lot of our meetings, we've been having them on the road. It's been a good place to have the entire family together, and provides a lot of good time to talk.
We've assigned everyone roles and have just been looking to have regular check-ins with everyone. A lot like you would have in a business. But a lot more chaotic (or maybe not) with a two year old and a five year old. We're still learning the ropes and we know they will level off as the kids get older, but there has been many good things that have come from them.
One of the first things we tackled is a family mission statement. Again, a lot like you would develop for any other organization, but a question that is not often contemplated in the family setting. I think we even do better in this area as individuals than we do as families. Truly sitting down to figure out the purpose of our individual family. What was our family put together to accomplish? What is the good that only we can do in the world?
It's a bit harder than you think. It's easy to come up with the answers that apply generally to the family, the purpose for family. But to drill down to your specific family and give it reason, give it purpose is challenging.
I think we've come up with a good one for us. The goal will be to get this on a plaque to hang close to the door, so all that enter our home know what we strive for.
"To all who come to this happy home, welcome. It is our hope that while you are in this house, you are one of us. And in this house, we are lifelong disciples of Christ. We seek adventure, not tourism. We build bigger tables, not higher fences. We love our neighbors. We build up, not tear down; we are creators, not consumers. Here, education is a journey, not a destination, and time is not a guaranteed allotment. We spend it wisely, knowing the best way to spend it is together."
The verbiage is still being worked on, but the sentiment, the values are all there.
It's what we hope and strive for. It's what we'll fight for. And hopefully, what we'll be known for.
If I was to ask you a similar question, what is your family's purpose? Your mission statement?
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