Missions

It's not what you think.  I'm not talking (this time) about traveling to foreign countries and ministering to people.  I'm talking about a clever little technique that we have used to keep our kids occupied, inside and out, and to accomplish tasks.  Sometimes, it's just all about making it (seem) fun.

"I want you to hop on one foot over to the soccer ball, then pick it up and gallop over to the bin and put it in, and then crawl back to me.  Ready, set, go!"

We call them missions, and our kids literally beg for them.  Really.  And the great thing is, they can be used anytime, anywhere, and can easily morph into whatever you need it to be at the moment.  We have used these inside, outside, at doctor's offices, at restaurants, at rest areas...the list goes on.  This is definitely one tool I'm keeping in my parenting tool box.  I think one key to this (especially if you are trying to accomplish something via missions- like cleaning up the yard-) is that you don't make your goal (putting the soccer ball away), their goal (completing this series of challenges)- so be sure to add something after your goal into the challenge. Also, we don't do it all the time, so that keeps it fun and special.  Just something that works for us!  

Book Club: The Five Love Languages of Children

Just a reminder that we'll be starting our new book club book: The Five Love Languages of Children next Thursday, February 3!  So there's still time for you to get a copy and join us!   I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of mine in the mail!  We'll plan to read the first 3 chapters for next Thursday!

Book Club: Raising Kids Who Turn out Right (ch 11-15)

Whew- so I finished it in 3 weeks!  That was definitely challenging- thankfully I'm a pretty fast reader.  It was interesting how this whole section focused much more on the parents, really, than the kids.  It's important that we deal with our "stuff" too.  In fact, often, us dealing with our "stuff" has a greater impact on our kids than any special parenting technique we might try to apply.  So- here is what I gleaned from these chapters.

Chapter 11: Marriage.  As I mentioned about a month ago in my "The 2nd Best Gift" post, the quality of your marriage has an incredible impact on your kids.  From it, they learn how to interact with the opposite sex.  What kind of messages are we sending to our kids?  Just a few days ago I was talking with some friends about the silly, fun things that we all did early on in our marriages, and how a lot of that has faded since we've been married longer, had kids, etc.  In addition to many, much more serious things we need to do to invest in our marriage, I think being able to enjoy one another and be silly together- laugh together (you and your friends laughing at your spouse does NOT count), keeps a marriage alive.  It's no secret that the state of marriage in our country is a very sad situation.  There are all different reasons why marriages don't work out, and I'm not trying to say that every marriage should stay together no matter what- but sometimes, I think people don't want to put in the effort necessary to make it work, and they just abandon it.  A good marriage relationship must be cultivated and maintained, and Dr. Kimmel gave us some good ways to keep the love alive. 


Chapter 12: I've said it before and I'll say it again- "The days are long but the years are short."  It's easy to get caught up in the minutia of day-to-day living...changing diapers, doing laundry, driving kids all over creation...and miss the forest for the trees.  We need to cherish the moment.  We can choose to let all those little things consume us, or we can choose to live life out through the little things.  Sometimes it means writing a special note in someone's lunch, or reading that book for thousandth time.  So much if it is our attitude towards these things.  Do we view our children as an inconvenience to our lives, or as something that adds great value to our lives?  Even though many of us would of course say that our children are valuable, blah, blah, blah...does that really play out in our moment to moment living?  Let's cherish the moments.  I know this is easier said than done, but when you're frustrated because the kids are walking s-o s-l-o-w-l-y to the car that you could scream...don't, and instead, take a deep breath, remember what is really important, and make a game of it, or sing a song as you walk, or try something else new. (And next time- plan ahead and leave earlier so you're not late...remember it's not fair to make the kids suffer because you didn't plan well. :) Life is in the little things.


Chapter 13: It is somewhat alarming to read the story of that guy who sacrificed everything to win a race.  As Christians, we need to make sure we are keeping everything in perspective, and are not literally sacrificing our children for our own advancement in some arena.  People are our most valuable resource, and as parents, we have been given stewardship of those in our household.  What are we putting our strength and confidence into?  Of course we are to work hard, but our confidence must be in the Lord.  If we were to die tonight, what would be said in our eulogy?  How would our children describe us and remember us?  It's good for us to be aware of the legacy we are leaving.


Chapter 14: No matter what our background, we all have a opportunity to leave a great legacy to our children.  And we all have the opportunity to leave a rotten one.  It's not about what happened (or didn't happen) as we were growing up, but it's how we deal with it now.  Allowing yourself to be vulnerable and look to your deepest feelings and thoughts can bring things to the surface that need to be dealt with.  Sometimes (often) it is painful, but when we allow Christ to come in and clean us out we can move forward in our walk with God, and to a better level of living.  Without playing the blame game, it's good to examine the heritage that we received and be decisive about what aspects of that heritage we want to pass to our children, and which we want to end with us.


Chapter 15: This chapter talked more about God's ability to restore a Godly legacy in our lives- no matter what our past looks like.  


There are no perfect parents.  We all fall short.  But it's as we humble ourselves and seek God, His Holy Spirit is able to fill us up and empower us to move forward in forgiveness and greater courage to submit to His will- which is ultimately for our best- in our lives.

We all struggle with things.  We all have things that come our way that turn our world upside down.  So what will we do with them?  We have hope- but just like any gift, we have to receive it and use it for it to be of benefit to us.

I will leave you with this:

(If for some reason the video doesn't work- click this link and watch it on youtube: Fail Us Not)

Responsibility: Things like...replacing the empty toilet paper roll

Well, I meant to post this last week but never got around to it.  Better late than never though!  So- this idea comes from Family Fun magazine, and I tried everything I know to find it posted on the website, and couldn't.  Soooo- I'll give you a brief description, but you'll have to buy the February 2011 issue to read all the details.

And... I'm excited because there's a little "advance notice" item saying that in the June/July Issue 2011, Family Fun is going to be sharing another badge program!


This badge program is a solution presented by a real family.  Basically, they came up with a list of tasks their children were capable of doing- household chores as well as other jobs, like wrapping a present.  They designed badges and sashes, a la boyscouts & girlscouts, and as each job is completed, they get the badge.

It sounds like a fun, motivating way for kids to step up to some new responsibilities...and reduce the frustration we feel when we discover an empty toilet paper roll. :)  (Can you tell one task I will be teaching soon?!)


It's great to remember that if we put a little fun into learning the mundane things in life can change a child's (and our!) response to it.


How do you put some fun into daily tasks for your kids?

Book Club: Raising Kids Who Turn out Right (ch 6-10)

Well, here we are in our second week of reading "Raising Kids Who Turn Out Right" by Tim Kimmel.
Here are the highlights of what I got out of these chapters: (Disclaimer: I'm sorry these are a little lengthy, but it's a lot of material to cover!)

Chapter 6:
     I never really thought of poise- at least not that word.  I guess I would think more of self-control, but as he described a variety of situations, I think that poise is a really good word.  Knowing the difference between poise and "putting on a face" is the tough thing.  I dated a guy once who was like a chameleon- always changing who he was to fit the situation, and to the best of his advantage.  I got really frustrated by this- I felt like no one knew who he really was.  I think that might be the dark side of poise.  So, like many things, it has to be held in balance.
     I appreciated what he had to say about sexuality, too.  Just this past weekend, as a matter of fact, we had a "special" weekend with our oldest daughter.  The younger kids went to their grandparents and we had a fun time with her- and we also made time to have "the talk."  I was so thankful that my husband was willing to be involved, and we used the book "Before I was Born" from the "God's Design for Sex" series as a place to start.  It went smoothly and it will be interesting to see what questions crop up over the next few weeks and months.  I'm sure I'll have to bring it up again and again to keep the lines of communication open, but I'm willing to be uncomfortable if it means that my child will feel comfortable talking to me about sex through the years.  At six (almost seven) years old, it may seem too early, but we decided that we wanted to be the first ones to talk about it with her- before she hears things anywhere else.

Chapter 7:
     Okay, can I just say that I felt like chapters 7-8 were written just for me.  As in- they are how to parent myself.  It definitely cut right to my heart.  I thought what he said on p 104: "We've got to keep in mind that building discipline, like building faith, integrity, or poise, is a process.  I know that no one ever "arrives" at discipline, but it's sometimes hard for me to appreciate the process, and wish for the product-in my own life as well as my children's.  
     I think the most valuable statement from this whole chapter (although I wish I could just put the whole chapter up here in quotes) is this: "Our job as parents is to get our children to do what they don't want to do so that they can achieve what they've wanted all their lives--freedom, confidence, commitment, love."(p.108)  Wow.  Now that is powerful--and true.


Chapter 8:
     Again, chapter 8--the first sentence even, hit right at my heart: "The world is filled with wide-eyed, idealistic starters, but painfully lacking in determined finishers."  The focus on building character as opposed to building "successful moments" (touchdowns, homeruns) is so important.  I really appreciate the list at the end of each chapter full of practical ideas to implement these ideas today.  


Chapter 9:
     I think courage is something sadly lacking today in our culture.  People think telling someone off is being courageous, but actually, quietly sharing your feelings in a controlled manner is MUCH more courageous.  And being willing to step up and be the "bad guy" to your kids, for their own good, takes a lot of courage.  We need to build courage into our kids so that when they are faced with that peer pressure situation, or an integrity issue, they will have the courage to stand up to it.  We need to use the situations that crop up in life as a classroom to build their courage in little things, so they will have a savings account full of it when the big things come.  I'm very curious to read the short story "the Children's Story....but Not Just For Children" by James Clavell now--since he recommended it in the "Ten Ways to Teach Your Children Courage" list at the end of the chapter!


Chapter 10:
    Designed Dilemmas- what a great idea!  As much as life itself offers opportunities for our kids to learn the character traits (if we choose to take advantage of them), offering "designed dilemmas" will make sure our kids practice the traits we want them to have in a safe environment.  It's all about practicing the behavior we want them to have, rather than only correcting the behavior we don't want them to have.  Of course, that is necessary too, but it must be balanced with positive behavior practice.  We wouldn't learn how to play a sport or an instrument without practicing, training our bodies and minds to a new set of skills, and the same is true for behavior.  Maybe even more so since we may have a God-given talent towards a sport or instrument, but we actually have an inborn bent towards behaving poorly and selfishly rather than selflessness and kindness.


I hope those of you who are reading along are enjoying the book as much as I am!  What a great resource and definitely one I'm going to hang onto-especially for those practical lists at the end of each chapter.  Those are great ideas!  We will finish the book for next week (1-27-11) and you can go ahead and purchase: The Five Love Languages of Children by Gary Chapman, which is what we'll be reading in February.
     

Martin Luther King Jr.

I have always joked that I was both homeschooled and public schooled.  Although I attended a public school, my parents recognized that the bulk of the responsibility for what kind of education I received rested squarely on their shoulders.  They were intentional and quick to turn any and every situation into a learning experience.  I heartily agree that all parents need to come to this resolution- to be their child's primary educator in all areas.  They will be whether they want to be or not-it's just a matter of whether they choose to plan what they will teach their kids, or let it fall to chance.


So, with today being the day our country had chosen to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr- how will you address the impact he had on our country with your kids?  I admit to being more ignorant about him than I wish.  My plan is to at least read a (children's) book about him with my kids and discuss it.  What an opportune time to bring up this monumental time in our country's history!  And what an opportune time to discuss God's love for each individual-regardless of his appearance-in fact, this might be the perfect time to talk about this verse: 

1 Samuel 16:7b The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.

How much stock do we put in appearance?  How does it affect our lives?  How does effect our interactions with others?  How do you think God would respond to that?

This month's theme of course is responsibility.  We have a responsibility to consider how we treat others and to search our hearts- asking God to show us any ways of thinking that may not be pleasing to Him.  Sometimes it's hard to let go of deep-rooted feelings against certain types of people--especially if you were raised to feel that way, but it's important for us to examine things we have considered "normal" and  hold them up to the measure of the Gospel, to see what God has to say about a matter.

Responsibility: Money

Oh my, this whole month I feel like I'm totally preaching to myself.  Anyway, responsibility with money is another HUGE area in which we need to train our children.  The chore chart program I mentioned on Wednesday (Accountable Kids) lends itself nicely to including an allowance, or perhaps more appropriately, commission.  Again, this an area I struggle with as an adult, and I hope to train my children so they will be better prepared than I to handle finances in adulthood.

I wholeheartedly believe kids need to have access to money (and freedom with boundaries) with money (that they have earned) to learn how to use it appropriately.  Both Crown Financial Ministries and Dave Ramsey have programs to help teach kids how to handle money.  I haven't yet purchased either of their products, but I suspect I will at some time in the not-so-distant future, so I will review it for you then.  I have a lot of respect for both organizations though, and would easily recommend their products.  We haven't done anything fancy, and we're just getting started (as part of our chore charts), but we are going to have jars for the girls- each will have a giving, saving and spending jar, and they will give 10% each to the first two and may have the remaining 80% to spend.

This post is also an advertisement for the Dave Ramsey course: Financial Peace University!  It will be running for 13 weeks at the First Presbyterian Church in Wellsboro, starting on January 31.  There will be a preview this coming Monday at 6:30, so come check it out if you're in the area!  It's such a motivating, challenging program but Dave Ramsey makes it really funny and entertaining!  I highly recommend it.  We went through it and although we don't have it all together yet, we are working our way to financial peace, based on Dave's program.  Click here for more information.   Remember, you can't pass on to your children what you don't have to give.  Get financial peace for your family now!

Incidentally, there is a great article by Dave Ramsey about kids and money in the January/February issue of Thriving Family magazine!  This magazine is a great resource and I would highly recommend that you subscribe to it!

Book Club: Raising Kids Who Turn out Right (ch 1-5)

"Good kids don't happen by accident."
So, I read this book for the first time about a year ago, and now I'm going through it again, and I cannot even believe how much it is exactly what I've been thinking and writing about lately!  It is all about being intentional in your parenting!  And how about that awesome appendix in the back that totally walks you through a weekend of planning for your kids!  I love that idea and I can't wait to do it!  I don't know that we'll actually be able to get away to do it (as lovely as that sounds), but hopefully we can still set aside some time to work on it.  


You can share whatever you want (please keep it clean) below in the comments.  If you are unsure as to how to leave a comment, click the tab marked "How to leave a comment" above, and there are instructions to walk you through it.  I would LOVE to hear your feedback on the first five chapters.  I will try to keep this brief (since I have a tendency to get long-winded, especially when I'm excited about something).  Here are my top five things (one from each chapter) that I got out of the first five chapters of this book.  (Okay, six- if you include what I already said above about the appendix.)

Chapter 1: I appreciate how he acknowledges that we are challenged by things that are not readily measurable. (p20).  That's why so many parents fall into the trap of measuring achievement (verses memorized, grades, etc) as proof that our child is doing well and moving on in their walk with God.  Measuring character is much harder.


Chapter 2:I love the real-life picture of a "blueprint" and how important it is to the end result!  I also appreciate the 5 Points of Emphasis.  That really gives me a good idea of where to start.  (And so does that fantastic appendix--and who says we have a "built-in aversion to things called 'projects' and 'worksheets'"!  I love 'em! It's the follow-through that I have a harder time with...)


Chapter 3: This was a really short chapter- but what I mostly took away from it is the choice that I have to "live with a burdened heart-- or a relaxed one" (p47) regarding the competition for my child's values.  There are many wonderful things that we can (and should) do to intentionally parent, but ultimately our trust HAS to be in the Lord, and we need to allow His peace to rule in our hearts.

Chapter 4: The world (and the church) is often quick to respond to a problem with a program (ex: "Just Say No!" p.55) "But you can't say "no" until you've first said 'yes' to something that gives meaning to your existence."  We have to have something bigger than ourselves to lean on when times get tough.  That is where faith comes in.  I love the thought (as hard as it is for me to swallow as a parent) that "Once we are prepared to die, we are free to live." (p.58)  It is so true!  And so freeing.  As Christian parents it is so tempting to just want to get our kids saved, so whew, at least they're going to heaven.  With that mindset, we may push and prod for them to "pray the prayer," and they may end up doing it to please us, rather than to pursue a relationship with God.  I was challenged by Tim and Darcy's commitment to pray for their children's salvation, but not to prod them into it.  I believe two of my children have already accepted Christ as their savior, and I now pray that the Holy Spirit will draw the third, and that all three of them will know the voice of the Lord when he speaks to them, and that they will be quick to obey.

The example of Tim talking with his daughter about her doubts was an excellent lesson for all of us, I think.  We don't need to be afraid of our kids' questions.  Even if we don't know the answers, God does, and we can direct them to Him.  He is big enough to take care of the questions.

Chapter 5: The whole example of King David's "slow fade" into sin is one of my favorite on the subject.  I have used it numerous times as a picture to share with people and to address things in my own life.  Integrity is something that I feel really strongly about.  Jon and I have committed to never lying to our children.  I mean about anything.  That may sound like a no-brainer, but it's actually much harder than you think.  I may ruffle some feathers here, and everyone is entitled to his/her own opinion, but for us, that includes Santa, the Easter Bunny, etc.  A nice lie is still a lie.  I tell my kids that I love their drawings, but I never tell them they are the best flower-drawer in the world.  It is possible to word things truthfully, yet still be kind.  We "speak the truth in love."  We also word things age-appropriately, and there have been times when I've told my kids that I don't feel that they are old enough to know about something yet.  Sometimes those things are MUCH harder to say than a little "white" lie, but I want to truly be able to tell my kids that I will never lie to them.  I want them to be able to trust me in the little things, so they will be able to trust me in the big things.

I often have to dispose of my daughter's various artwork and papers, and I do try to do it while she's at school so it's not as crushing to her.  Most of the time she doesn't even remember things, but every so often she does. One time, she specifically said "Where is my (whatever...I don't remember what it was, but I knew I had thrown it away)?  I said "I don't know."  And in my head I was justifying myself, like, "well, I don't really know exactly where it is- it could have been dumped at the dump or incinerated or something by now."  But in my heart, I knew I had lied to her.  So, I had to go back, apologize, tell her I was wrong, and ask forgiveness.  And then deal with the uncomfortable truth that I had thrown it away.  It was tough, but I know it was the right thing to do, and I think she trusts me more because of it.  Just for the record, let me share with you all that we proudly display TONS of her artwork and schoolwork, keep it in scrapbooks, even photograph it sometimes if it's something we need to get rid of.  So don't worry that her self esteem regarding how we like her work is suffering.  She's just very prolific in what she creates, and she's also a packrat.  Lately I've tried to include her in the purging, explaining we can't have a "stuff house" (someday I'll show her an episode or two of "Hoarders") and that she can choose one thing to keep.  She has a treasure bin as well as a scrapbook that she may fill up with whatever she wants, but when it's full, she can't add anything else until she gets rid of something.

We don't always get it right.  We try to live lives of integrity in front of our kids...and often it is MUCH more work than letting things slide.  But how can I expect my kids to live lives of integrity and be truthful if I'm not?

I love the list of ways to teach your kids integrity at the end of the chapter!  It's great how each chapter has very practical ways to apply what has been discussed.

Sooo...what are your thoughts on the first five chapters?

(Next week will be chapters 6-10)

Responsibility: Chore Charts

From time to time I like to highlight products or books that I have found to be useful, and/or that I think might be useful to others.  This is one of those times.

Remember how on Monday I mentioned that wanting to instill the character trait of responsibility in my children actually had to start with me being more responsible?  Well, one of the many ways that has played out in my life is through chore charts.  Over the years I have tried many different types of chore charts. (Yes, I know my oldest child is only 6, but I have switched chore charts about every 6 months, which is probably part of the problem!  I am fully aware that one of my personal weaknesses is sticking with things- and I'm working on it.)  We've done check-off charts, and move-the-magnet charts, flip-over-the-card charts, get-a-marble charts, and pick-a-stick charts.  You name it, I've probably tried something like it.  But the problem with each one is always the same.  Although chore charts are useful to help kids be responsible- guess what?!  I have to be responsible for them too!  I have to make sure I start them over at the end of each day.  I have to make sure I follow through with any special things the kids have earned.  And I have had trouble doing that!  But, I am resolving (that's right, I do make resolutions) to be responsible for helping my kids be responsible.  Day-to-day responsibility is one thing I wish I had learned better as a child, and I hope to give my kids a head start in this area.


Anyway, I think we've finally settled on one, and I feel that I can recommend it highly to you.  It is called "Accountable Kids."  In addition to getting the kits for your kids, I would highly recommend getting the book that goes with it, which also comes with a brief instructional DVD. (Oh yeah, that's right- it comes with an instructional DVD!)  It helps you to understand the myriad of ways this product can be used.  I'm  not going to into detail here as to how it's used- but I will say that it is very versatile and can be used for many different situations.  As we look to foster kids and eventually adopt, I know these will come in handy for us as we work with those kids as well.


I've been doing pretty well keeping up with my end of the chore-chart responsibility, and it is indeed helping my kids understand what their responsibilities are in our family.  So far we only have them for our oldest two kids.  I cannot tell you how badly my youngest wants one!  It's all we can do to keep her sticky two-year-old fingers off her sisters' charts!  I keep telling her that when she is three, she will get one for her birthday. :)


Although we have chosen to go with a formal (pre-made) type chore chart, you certainly wouldn't have to. Maybe you are clever and persistent enough to make up your own and stick to it!  More power to you.  But for those out there who are like me, I thought I would share this.  It is a good (if a little pricey) program that will last you for years, and can easily adapt to changing needs as your child grows.  


PS: The company "Accountable Kids" in no way compensated me for this endorsement.  Just FYI. :)

Begin with the End in Mind

What goals do you have as a family?  What goals do you have for each of your kids?  We need to begin with the end in mind.  What do we hope our children will be like as adults?  As teens?  What are we doing now to move in those directions?  What strengths do you see in your child?  How could they be used for the glory of God?  Share those things with them.  Not in a way that piles on guilt or unrealistic expectations, but in a way that builds hope and trust into them.  Let them know that God has a wonderful purpose for them.  Let them know how their personality traits can be used to glorify God.

Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.

Where it talks about "the way he should go" doesn't only mean the way you think he should go, but deeper still, it means in the way, or "bent" for which he was designed- the special, specific purpose that God had planned when He created your child.  How do we find this out?
-pray
-study your kids
 (this means spending A LOT of time with them)

As we put these things into writing, it will help to give us a clearer picture of the type of person they were created to be.  Where are they strong?  How can we encourage those strengths?  Often, the things that may drive us nuts about them, or that they may get in trouble for, are actually some of their greatest strengths, but they need us, and God, to help make those things useful, instead of a stumbling block for them.

My oldest daughter tends to be bossy.  Being a first-born myself, I recognize myself in her WAY too much for my own comfort!  But that is one of the wonderful things about children- God uses them to refine us in so many ways.  Anyway, her bossiness comes out of God-given leadership abilities that we want to promote in her life, and teach her how to use this gift to serve others and glorify God.  We don't always get it right, and neither does she, but it is one area that we have discovered and about which we are trying to be intentional.


On the other end of the spectrum, we will discover how our children are weak- and in those areas, too, we want to help them strengthen and grow.


Setting goals for each child- maybe for the month, or for the year, can help you see how s/he is progressing.  As parents, it can help you focus on what you are working on in them.  Goal setting is  the next step after a Family Mission Statement.  Once you decide your mission- then you can set attainable, measurable goals to put your mission statement to work.  

Responsibility: Be Intentional

As you know, I like to choose a character trait to focus on each month, and I've chosen the theme "Responsibility" for this month.

Being responsible myself, focusing on responsibility as a character quality for my kids.  Throughout January we will be discussing ways that we can help instill responsibility into our kids- and ultimately, that requires a pretty serious commitment to be responsible ourselves.  Isn't it always that way?

Do you remember back in high school when the cheerleaders would do the cheer "Be, Aggressive, B-E Aggressive, B-E- A-G-G-R-E-S-S-I-V-E, Aggressive!" at the footbal games?  No?  So it's just me, then?   Oh well, anyway, it helps me to remember what I have chosen to be an overarching theme for the whole year.  It's not Be Aggressive- but it's (can you guess?) Be Intentional.  (Doesn't have quite the same ring when you try to spell it out, but it's a much more useful reminder in life than "be aggressive!")


God has given us some extremely valuable things- time, talent, treasure, temple (our bodies), and of course, our children and other relationships.  If we do not choose to be intentional about what we do with these- then they will be swallowed up by circumstances.  We want to happen to life, not let life happen to us.  

New title

Okay- I've changed the title of this blog again...and I think this is "the one."  I've been trying to find just the right name that exudes (what I hope to be) the attitude and thesis of this blog.  I don't promise to not change it again, but I feel much more settled about this one. :)  Have a great weekend!

Family Mission Statement

About a year ago, my family and I went through the process of writing a Family Mission Statement.  I had read about it and thought it was a great idea.  We included our kids in the process, which was humorous and also profound in surprising ways.  With the thoughts of life simplification, focus and intentionality that have been swimming in my head for the new year, I thought that others might be interested in creating a Family Mission Statement.  Probably in another year or two we'll revisit it to see if anything has changed or if we want to add anything new.  The beginning of a new year is a great time to do this!  So, one of my favorite bloggers, Simple Mom, has created a fantastic process that you can follow to walk you through this.  Just click here.  Give it a try!

I'd love to hear how you are intentional with your family, or how it went if you made a Family Mission Statement!

Raising Kids who Turn out Right by Tim Kimmel

Okay, I'll be the first to say it- this book club thing caught up with me and I'm not prepared- and you probably aren't either (if you decided to participate) because I never told you what to read!  So- let's do this...for next time (next Thursday) let's try to read 5 chapters.  I know that's adventurous, but c'mon, we can do it!  We will be using the Study Guide in the back to help us along, so be sure to take a look at that and think about it as we go. Sooo...I'll see you back here next week.  I'll try to have a post first thing in the morning and then you can respond to it, and I'll try to comment as you comment!  I hope many of you will join us.  Just as a reminder we are reading Raising Kids Who Turn out Right by Tim Kimmel.

Welcome 2011!

Happy New Year!

I love a fresh start!  Even each new day, week, month or season is a chance to start anew.  But of course, a new year, is the most exciting of all! 

I love in Proverbs 31:25 where it says (NIV): 

She is clothed with strength and dignity; 

   she can laugh at the days to come.

I can laugh at the days to come!  I don't need to dread them, or fear them, but I can be joyful and excited about them!  I anticipate what is to come, and make plans to walk into my future, steadfast, and with a smile on my lips.

Proverbs 21:5 (NASB) 

The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage,

        But everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty.

God honors our plans.  That doesn't always mean things work out exactly as we planned, or exactly as we want them to, but our taking the time to plan is an advantage to us.  So lets take time to plan for 2011.  What are you doing that you want to continue?  What aren't you doing that you would like to start?  Let's make plans for our family.  If we don't, life will just happen and we will be swept by with the current, just like that "house that was built upon the sand."  Let's be the house(hold) that is built upon the rock, that can stand firm and intentional despite what is going on around us.

So what will 2011 look like for your family?  Indeed, let's "create a calendar" for our family, rather than letting the calendar create us.  Let's commit together to be intentional this year.