The happiest moments of my life have been the few which I have passed at
home in the bosom of my family.

-Thomas Jefferson


Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Family Mission Statement

Lately, I have been reminded of the need for mission statements—especially for our family. Nick and I talked about it several months ago and even listened to the good old Covey talk on tape about family mission statements.

Originally, I wanted to have a short statement that would roll off the tongue. However, after considering what is most important about our family (also owing to my tendency to be verbose), it has turned out to be much meatier. I want part of our morning devotional to include memorizing parts of this so that later in life all this conditioning can aid in easy recall in otherwise compromising situations. Basically it has morphed from a single “statement” into a “year’s supply” of them.

As we are still in the drafting stages of grasping the big picture of our mission statement, let me know:

***Does your family have a mission statement? How have you used it? Do you have it somewhere prominent in your home?

Here’s the Nick and Miriam Family Mission Statement (Take One):

We are a family that is blessed by God. We are obedient to Him and to leaders and parents who are guided by His Spirit. God has given us a compass of faith to guide our family to grow in strength, virtue, wisdom, and courage. We strive to daily improve our relationship with Deity as we kneel in family prayer and ponder the scriptures. We will worship together forever.

Our home is place of beauty, order, peace, and simplicity. Our home is a safe and protected sanctuary. Our home is a place of inspiration and nourishment. Our home is a place of preparation. Our home is a gathering place for family and friends.

We choose to be together and desire to always be unified. Time spent as a family is precious. Our bond is strengthened as we work hard and accomplish our goals cooperatively. We work daily to build our family of excellence. Our laughter is heard during work and play.

We treat others with gentleness, respect, and patience. We recognize the God-given desire to be kind to others. We are accountable for our choices. We are always honest and fiercely loyal. We stand up for what is right, no matter what. We are examples of leadership and dependability.

We have beautiful bodies with energy to use them to be creative and serve others. We study to fill our minds with priceless knowledge. We discover and develop our talents to bless our community.

We will fulfill our family mission in a way that enriches the quality of our family life and draws us closer to each other through Heaven’s Grace.

3 comments:

Marissa said...

We have talked forever about making a family mission statement but haven't gotten around to it yet. Thanks for reminding me that we have to do it. I think yours is great!

Rachel said...

One of my former BYU profs was the king of family mission statements and mottos. I wonder if I've got the notes from his class somewhere-- I remember thinking that it was a great idea, and I think your draft sounds pretty good.
By the way, that professor, Matthew O. Richardson, was just called to be in the General Sunday School Presidency a couple of weeks ago.
Oh-- what about looking in the handbook for the Marriage and Family Relations Sunday School class? That might help you fine-tune things.
Mir, you're pretty doggone awesome

Mary Ann Johnson said...

I have used Dots happy family on my blog about Family Mission Statements. I would like to make sure that it is OK with you. It is a lovely picture.

Warmly,
Mary Ann Johnson
The Closet Coach
home-school-coach.com
majcoach@yahoo.com