2014 Family Mission Statement

I’m not sure exactly when it came to me.  I think it while I was in the shower.  It came suddenly, and clearly.  I knew we had to do it.  I ran the idea past my husband and he was on board.

We woke Sunday and in a hurried frenzy, readied ourselves for church, hopped into the Suburban and off we went!  We no sooner pulled out of the driveway when we found ourselves turning around for home about ¼ mile from home.  Black ice had changed the course of our morning.  We came right back in the house and loaded up an episode of Mark Gungor on the DVR for some spiritual enlightening.  We laughed.  We listened.  It was the perfect, God-ordained, segway into my idea.  

Mark wrapped up his sermon and I introduced my idea to the kids. 

“We are going to write our 2014 Family Mission Statement today!”

Of course I got some confusing looks.  Mostly because they had no idea what a “mission statement” was.  After a brief explanation, I outlined the five areas we were going to focus on.  

In the New Year, how will our family relate to:

GOD

EACH OTHER

OTHERS/FRIENDS

OUR COMMUNITY

OUR CHURCH

In each area, we had a discussion about how God asks us to interact with each area?  What did the Bible say about it?  And what exactly did it look like in real life? 

Some were easier to figure out than others.  Our littlest family member had an elaborate example for most of the suggestions.  But, we powered through, and our list, while still not typed up all neat and pretty to display, has already created teachable moments.

After some minor tweaking, here’s our final draft.

2014 FAMILY MISSION STATEMENT

How do we relate to:

GOD

Attend church regularly

Read our Bibles/have devotions

Pray

EACH OTHER

Put others first

Be respectful

Use kind words

Control our anger

OTHERS/FRIENDS

Talk about God with them / Pray for them

Behave like Jesus / Use appropriate talk

Invite them to church

COMMUNITY

Behave like Jesus / Use appropriate talk

See a need, fill a need

CHURCH

Volunteer

Attend regularly

Now, our children might be a bit older than yours, so you might have to make some adjustments to your family mission statement, should you choose to make one too.  But what a great reference point when things start getting a little less than desirable with attitudes within a family!  We plan to post a copy of this around the house, and the kids have already asked for a copy in each of their rooms!

And while I’m not so naïve as to think that the newness of this will never wear off, if it even makes the slightest change in our behaviors and attitudes in the coming year, it will not be in vain!

Blessings to you as you embark on whatever positive changes you intend to incorporate in your own personal life, or in your family.