Our Family Mission Statement: Part I

Drew and I have taken this week to have some intentional time to discuss where we are at in our lives and in our marriage.  We do this periodically in order to maintain a healthy and growing marriage, and we've had plenty of time at home this week to do this (we're currently waiting out a Cyclone that's heading up the SW coastline of Madagascar where we live).  I have a confession to make, and it is that I absolutely love books on  marriage! I thoroughly enjoy reading about marriage, taking marriage quizzes and tests, talking about marriage, and frankly, I just love being married! :)

 

SIDEBAR :: For example, we participated in per-marital counseling with our Campus Pastor Steve and his wife, LeeAnn (some of our most important mentors and favorite people ever!). 

Here I am with LeeAnn at our Wedding Reception

  According to the Oklahoma Court Clerk and the Oklahoma Marriage Initiative, attendance of a 2 day, 6 hour total marriage seminar workshop is enough to satisfy the requirements for a 90% reduction in fees for one's Oklahoma Marriage License.  However, we did not just complete 2 days of a marriage seminar workshop.  No, we met with Steve and LeeAnn for a total of 9 sessions of 2 hours each.  I loved every minute of it, and I'm pretty convinced Drew did, too. :) It involved an in-depth compatibility questionnaire, praying, reading a marriage book, and lots and lots of talking about how we were going to blend every aspect our our life together in our marriage relationship.  Love, love, love! :: END OF SIDEBAR

So, this week Drew & I read through another marriage book, and it was pretty good.  It is called The 4 Seasons of Marriage & is by Gary Chapman, the author of another great book we like:  

Click on this book image to learn more about The Five Love Languages

We had a good time talking through the book, having some honest communication, and also crafting our very own Family Mission Statement!  I am so very excited about it, and I really think we made it into the perfect representation of who we are, our goals, and our purpose as a family.  I hope to get it printed on canvas or framed somehow and hang it up in our house forever as a reminder of our focus.  

 I will show you our very own Family Mission Statement in my next post, so please stick around and keep reading.  In the meantime, what are your thoughts about periodic marriage retreats? Do you ever do these with your spouse? Have you sat down and came up with your own Family Mission Statement? I'd love to hear your tips and suggestions for ways that you keep your marriage healthy and growing!  As always, please leave a comment and make my day! :)