family time...

This is a picture of the puzzle our family put together these last couple of months. We would work on it for a few days, set it aside, and then pull it back out again to add some more pieces. Thanks to the Thomas' we have gotten the "puzzle bug" now. :) They sent us this puzzle for Christmas and slowly we started working on it all together.

Since we don't have a television to distract us, (more just me) the time we have in the evening can be spent doing family activities. We didn't plan to start making puzzles together, but since we had gotten one as a gift, it became easy to get involved with it. We are actually starting a new one today. This one is the 1000 piece size and we are looking forward to completing ones that have even more pieces.

Sometimes it seems like activities like these are a waste of valuable time. Time that could be spent doing meaningful things like milking a cow, planting a garden, reading the Bible, or helping a neighbor. However, while we are waiting for this school year to end before we move to Ohio and buy our homestead, these kinds of family activities are accomplishing many things to help our family bond more closely with each other. They in a sense, help us to practice our Fout Family Values.

What are the Fout Family Values you might ask? the FFV are a list of character traits that I found online somewhere in the past. I wish I could remember where I had gotten them so I could give DUE CREDIT to the people or person who came up with them. They are not original by any means, as nothing is new under the sun, but they are a group of specific character traits, attitudes, and behaviors that we try to live by. Do we do all of them all the time? NO. However, is is nice to have a goal in mind when thinking about how we should respond to others. And especially those that are part of our own family.

Before I list anything, let me first give a quick definition of some similar words that are usually mixed up when we think of things like values. Words like vision, mission, value, and belief.

Belief: An opinion, especially a firm and considered one. Sometimes this can be something that is true or not. (hopefully it is something that is true)

Value: The worth, importance, or usefulness of something to somebody. It is the outworking of your belief. (that could be good, or bad news)

Mission: An objective or task that somebody (or family unit) believes and feels it is their duty to carry out. It involves attaching special importance and devoting special care to accomplishing it.

Vision: The ability to anticipate possible future events and developments. Simply put, what the future looks like for your life.

Now back to the list. We have several areas that are labeled Concerning _______ in Our Family. For example, the first one is concerning authorities in our family.

Concerning Authorities in our Family.............

1. We love and obey our Lord Jesus Christ with wholehearted devotion.
2. We read the Bible and pray to God every day with an open heart.
3. We honor and obey our parents in the Lord with a respectful attitude.
4. We listen to correction and accept discipline with a submissive spirit.

This is just part of the list that includes nine categories and thirty-eight beliefs. As mentioned, it is something we are WORKING TOWARDS, a place where we want to get to. For a copy of the document, leave a comment and an email address, and I will send it to you.