Finding Our Family Purpose

In participating Project: Simplify, Tsh encouraged us to draft our family purpose statement. We were supposed to get our spouse involved so that the statement could reflect how both of us would like our family to be. In her book, Organized Simplicity, she also said that the purpose statement doesn't have to be perfect and it can change as we grow. So, for me, I decided to get started by myself, as for now, I still want to keep my getting organized effort a secret :)

I am not very good at summarizing, so, here are my thoughts [the actually statements at the end]:

- I'd like my home be a welcoming place but not necessarily with many guests/visitors
- People would find peace and joy with my family
- I hope that when non-christian family see our family, they would want to know more about God
- I like my home to be ready for unplanned visitor - if anyone of our friends needs a place to stay, a friend to talk to, I would like them to feel comfortable calling us
- But my husband is a more private person, he does not like guests as much as I do. Then, I don't know how much of it was due to the CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndromes, in case you haven't heard) in the home.

- Home should be a place to rest, to recharge, to enjoy togetherness
- Our family enjoy family fun outside of the home

- we need to learn to also have family fun inside of the home (again, don't know how much was due to the CHAOS at home)
- I like our family could do a better job in using our natural resources
- In eating healthy, we have a lot of room for improvement

- As a whole we have more things than we need, we all have trouble finding things or finding a proper place to put things

- at some point in our lives, we might need to move overseas to care for our elderly (they are not interested in living in the US at all...)

- we move relatively frequently - if my husband ever change employer, it is almost guaranteed an out-of-state move.

About myself
- I like to be a better listener to my kids and husband
- I hope my kids could talk to me even when they get into trouble 
- I need to better communicate myself to my husband
- I feel that taking care of the planet is one of the few first jobs God wanted us to do and I have been learning to do it better
- I enjoyed serving as a Bible study leader

My husband
- spend a lot of time for his work
- enjoy doing research
- enjoy spending time with the kids whenever not caught up at work
- environmentally conscious
- he excels (IMHO) in coordinating/organizing/planning events, schedules, presentations etc.
- serve in our church's local mission team, Bible study leader and as a children's Sunday school helper

Our kids
one time, a friend commented that, our kids were very well behaved but not the kind that are in fear; they are very happy kids. Both my husband and I like that very much. My husband said, that's the best complement ever and it is what he likes his kids to be - having a balance between obedient and enjoying themselves. I hope they find God's purpose for them early on.

Here are some of their traits

My oldest, 7 going to be 8
- like reading the Bible
- always want to do good, have a love for living things
- conceptual
- forgetful
- easy going, sometimes even could not tell what his own preference
- strive on relationships

2nd, just turned 6
- focused, detailed (as shown in his drawings)
- knows what he wants, shows his emotions more easily
- sensitive to his physical environment
- verbal
- independent

youngest, 1.5
- very active for a girl
- likes many of the "girly" things like shoes, dress, bags etc
- kind of social, like waving to people a lot but not easily let other hold her
- likely to be verbal
- shows her preference very clearly


So now, having these thoughts written down, here is my version of our family statements:

Our family would like to know God and His words more day by day

Chooses the path He intended for us everyday

Reflect Him with growing love and friendship within our family

Showing togetherness just like one but remain unique.

Be a welcoming team to those in need

Learn and practice good stewardship of Earth and me

Live simply and 

Know that we are visitor and someday we will all leave

Obviously, this may not truly represent my entire family but I guess it is a start. And I would love to hear your opinion.