Friday, May 1, 2009

Family Mission Statement

In our family love is a big blanket. It covers all of us and never goes away. Words and actions matter in our family. We problem solve. Ideas and feelings are shared and listened to. We look out for each other.

In our family, we are allowed to be cranky, angry, frustrated and upset. It will pass.

In our family we grow our dreams. We help each other tend to the fragile seeds of our dreams, caring for them each day, celebrating together as they grow.

In our family we sing, play music, read, dance, explore, pray, imagine and create.


I've wanted to write some kind of mission statement for our family for awhile now. We're trying to have weekly family meetings and I feel that the kids are old enough to start to get and appreciate just what being a family means. As we talk about issues during these meetings, I keep coming back to these central themes. We'll see how it goes down. I tried to write it in a way that my 6 year old and 4 year old could relate to easily. I wanted something in thee about service to others as well, maybe I'll do another draft, but for now we'll see how this one flies.

Does anyone else have a family mission statement? Want to share? Or do you have family meetings ever? This is new for us.

On other fronts, I did submit a draft of a children's book to an agent who is coming to speak next weekend in Carmel. For a fee she will read it and critique it for you. This was a pretty big step for me, as she could totally hate it. Here is the thing, at this point, I feel okay with that possibility. I imagine all of this submitting like weight lifting. Rejection is a heavy blow, but it will build up the strength of my determination. Each time I "hit the weights" again, I will get stronger and the muscle will grow a fiber at a time. I may get sore, but that's okay. No pain no gain.

**Note to friends and family--remind me of this bravado later when I am feeling crushed! :)

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Your dreams only get crushed when you sit on them. You have to let them fly. Some will soar and some will come back for you to try again.

The Gospel According to Mom

JenM said...

We have family meetings, as needed. Sometimes they work, sometimes I'm talking to a wall... it's a lot like teaching- you have to strike while the iron's hot, get 'em hooked, and hope upon hope that they really took in what you were serving that day! :) Do it enough and they'll ask for meetings themselves.

Good luck with the book! Look forward to buying a signed copy! :)

kennedykid said...

Love the MOM GOSPEL! It is a good thing you practice what you preach!

kennedykid said...

Jeni-
Our last family meeting went like that. We're trying to keep them short and sweet. Someday if I do get a book published, you will be one of the first to get a copy for sure!!! Hopefully I won't have to bring it to you in a retirement community!