Today you will be talking about who you are individually, and as a family unit. Discuss your own, and each of your family members’ special gifts and talents*. Write each family member’s name on a piece of paper and, taking each in turn, begin to list those special qualities that he or she possesses. Don’t edit yourselves as you go, it’s OK to write down something about your daughter’s sparkling blue eyes alongside the way she always shares a bite of what she’s eating with her baby brother. Later, you can explore what it is about those limpid pools that makes you stop and take special note. Perhaps there is compassion or confidence you can see through her eyes. Do try to focus on only the positive traits because we want more of that, and we tend to move toward what we focus on.
What’s important to you? This is a little bit different than last evening’s exercise where you explored your hopes and dreams. Right now, you want to think about people (outside your nuclear family), activities, and qualities that are important to you. Maybe you are very involved with your extended family, or your church community. Perhaps you have a special concern for the homeless or hungry, orphans, etc.
List activities that are important to your family. You might be interested in something like political or social activism. Perhaps music, or art, or theology, or entrepreneurship are particularly meaningful to you.
You also want to specifically address those qualities you hope to exemplify as a family, to instill or nurture in your children. Things like faithfulness, courage, kindness, creativity…
And finally, you may want to list more practical items – things like: “a larger home”, “a better-equipped kitchen”, a workroom, a large garden, etc. That’s perfectly fine. Write everything down, and analyze why they are important to you. Chances are you’ll find that hospitality and self-sufficiency are pretty high on your list!
Tomorrow you will begin to build your mission statement and begin making plans for your future, so tonight, get some good rest and enjoy your special time together!
