When Tobe and I married, we were fortunate to have all eight of our grandparents and one of my great-grandparents at our wedding. Over the course of our eight years of marriage we have only lost two of these gems. 
In the last two weeks, I have been fortunate to visit with the seven grandparents that are still with us. I have sat at the their kitchen tables, dined beside them in restaurants, and been reminded of the effects of what an honest life lived looks like. I attempted to inquire as to how they exactly found the spot where they have landed, how they navigated the paths of life in such a successful manner. Some days I feel like I am feverishly treading water, often to little or no avail, as our family moves through time. I wonder if the preschool years of parenting will ever end and in the next moment think that my babies are growing much too rapidly. I see or hear about other families doing better or worse and wonder how people pull their families along life's timeline successfully.
Today I wrote an article about creating a family mission statement, because I think that intentionality is the best way to keep one's self and one's family on course. Perhaps I have spoken of drafting such a thing before on this blog, however we have yet to achieve such a goal.
I plan for the husband and I to sit down in the very near future and write a phillips family mission statement (This is more Tobe's cup of tea than mine, with his love for all things business and organization). Perhaps one day, my grandchildren and great-grandchildren will find themselves seated at my table and will inquire as to how the phillips family weathered the trials of life and time.
Or perhaps they will simply read the posts of this blog and wonder how my family survived my quirks over the years...
Does your family have a family mission statement? If so, what does it say and is it effective?
3 comments:
We have been trying to find a time to make a "Vision Board" for our family. It would include a vision statement and some things we'd like to do to achieve that vision. (I say "trying" because things keep coming up on those nights when we want to sit down with the kids and actually do one. They'll be part of the process...hopefully.) Maybe tomorrow night...
My friend, Heather, posted about one here:
http://thenewmancrew.blogspot.com/2009/08/charts-and-index-cards-and-cork-board.html
You are very blessed to have so many grandparents and great-grandparents to sit around with. They are a treasure.
You are indeed blessed to have so many of your "grands" still here! We are down to two grandmothers, but all four were at our wedding in 2000. That was special.
J and I have a mission statement for our marriage (which we revisit each anniversary), but not one for our family. That will be a fun thing to think about. Thanks for the idea!
RAK
How special to still have so many GRANDS! Will and I started our married life with all of ours and then lost all but two of them in an 18 month period. It was a rough 18 months. It was also part of the 18 months I birthed Lainey and Emiley. It still brings tears to my eyes. I know we all treasure our GRANDS. I love to see my kids treasure their time with my parents and I cant wait to be a GRAND my self.
I will have to ponder the family vision statement. It is a great idea. And the idea of revisiting it on your anniversary is even better :) Thanks so much for sharing.
I am just getting caught up on Blogs... working is cutting into my blog reading time :)
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