Coming up is our periodic Marrieds' and Parents' Focus evening. It led to a conversation about our family. Here's what (when we all lived at home together) we pooled our ideas to produce. We pinned copies on each bedroom door.
F A M I L Y C H A R T E R
We will love each member of our family, speak and act kindly to one another, and rejoice in the right not in the wrong.
We will pray for each other every day, thanking God for their lives, and asking His help for their responsibilities, choices and difficulties, and for their protection.
We will grow in heart to upbuild the family of God in which we take our place. We will learn to respect, serve, forgive and encourage one another.
We are all growing and need direction and correction.
We will be careful to listen to those who are older and wiser, and grow in obedience and respect. We will obey our parents in the Lord and encourage each other in this.
We are members of a radical Jesus family, different from the world. We welcome this though sometimes we may be misunderstood and hurt. We will encourage one another to grow in fearlessness and loyalty for Zion.
Everything created is a gift from God, so we will share our things, time, gifts and energies together, that we may be blessed in giving rather than wanting. We will be thankful for what we have.
We will help trust to grow by openness about our plans, problems and faults, knowing that we will always be loved and honoured and quickly forgiven.
We will be careful not to repeat confidences.
We will not accuse or pass on blame; we will not act provokingly or spitefully, or in other ways do the devil's work.
The earth is the Lord's; we will seek to live at peace with, and help, all men. We will care for animals and plants, too.
We want many friends to come to know and love Jesus and will witness to them by our lives and words; this includes our other relatives.
We want to remain true soldiers for Jesus and be trained to live our lives for Him.
And again, since meals together were an important plank in the building work (with each child having his own napkin):
THIS IS A GOOD MANNERS TABLE
1. Arrive promptly when a meal is called, with hands washed, ready to join in the grace time.
2. Wait quietly until everyone is served before starting to eat.
3. No playing with cutlery or dishes; keep hands and feet off the table.
4. No punching, kicking, scratching, humming, or generally provoking each other.
5. Eat tidily without playing with your food; finish the whole meal.
6. Wait until the end of the meal before getting down from the table; help to clear away.
F A M I L Y C H A R T E R
We will love each member of our family, speak and act kindly to one another, and rejoice in the right not in the wrong.
We will pray for each other every day, thanking God for their lives, and asking His help for their responsibilities, choices and difficulties, and for their protection.
We will grow in heart to upbuild the family of God in which we take our place. We will learn to respect, serve, forgive and encourage one another.
We are all growing and need direction and correction.
We will be careful to listen to those who are older and wiser, and grow in obedience and respect. We will obey our parents in the Lord and encourage each other in this.
We are members of a radical Jesus family, different from the world. We welcome this though sometimes we may be misunderstood and hurt. We will encourage one another to grow in fearlessness and loyalty for Zion.
Everything created is a gift from God, so we will share our things, time, gifts and energies together, that we may be blessed in giving rather than wanting. We will be thankful for what we have.
We will help trust to grow by openness about our plans, problems and faults, knowing that we will always be loved and honoured and quickly forgiven.
We will be careful not to repeat confidences.
We will not accuse or pass on blame; we will not act provokingly or spitefully, or in other ways do the devil's work.
The earth is the Lord's; we will seek to live at peace with, and help, all men. We will care for animals and plants, too.
We want many friends to come to know and love Jesus and will witness to them by our lives and words; this includes our other relatives.
We want to remain true soldiers for Jesus and be trained to live our lives for Him.
And again, since meals together were an important plank in the building work (with each child having his own napkin):THIS IS A GOOD MANNERS TABLE
1. Arrive promptly when a meal is called, with hands washed, ready to join in the grace time.
2. Wait quietly until everyone is served before starting to eat.
3. No playing with cutlery or dishes; keep hands and feet off the table.
4. No punching, kicking, scratching, humming, or generally provoking each other.
5. Eat tidily without playing with your food; finish the whole meal.
6. Wait until the end of the meal before getting down from the table; help to clear away.
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