I was so giddy the other day to find a list Dan and I had made with values we wanted reflected in our family. The list is at least 4 years old. I was happy to see these things still seem to be our top priorities:
1. Fun/Laughter – if we’re only having fun outside of our family unit, something is wrong
2. Good Stewardship – taking care of what God has given us
3. Sleep – This one made me smile. We had a little one (maybe 2?) at the time this list was written, and were very good at protecting bed time and especially nap times. But, seriously, sleep is important for all ages!
4. Healthy Community – Sharing our lives openly both with heart friends who have similar values and friends who believe differently
5. Staying active – Exercise, bike rides, rough housing, family walks.
6. Reading – this one makes me feel like hmmm, since we’ve been so lax on it lately. But we genuinely want to raise boys who value reading, whether or not they choose to spend their leisure time as adults with their nose in a book (Tablet? Kindle? Phone?).
7. Serving – each other, and those outside our family
8. Courage – Remembering that it’s not courage until you’re first afraid
9. Authenticity and Teachability – We want to be the Real Deal with each other and to anyone watching to see if our lives reflect the King. We also want everyone in our family to have permission to speak the truth in love, gently call out inconsistencies, and ask for forgiveness.
10. Downtime as a family most evenings – again, hmmm. With older boys and fuller schedules, we do not always meet this one. But we want our hearts to be at home.
It would make me so so sad if this comes across as if we have everything all together. We struggle daily, daily, with everything from tempers to laziness. But with our great God we are prayerfully moving toward what He has for us.
Have you ever written out your personal values? If you’re married – with or without kids – do you and your spouse have a similar mind on priorities?
I’d love to hear!