Tonight I arrived safely on Bosworth Lane, in Northfield, Illinois.  This is where one of my favorite families resides.  I got to take the dog for a walk, read several pages of a new book, hug on my 2 oldest nephews and enjoy my youngest laugh hard at me for the first time.  I got to see my brother and his wife.  It was a great night.

I’ve gotta admit one of my favorite things about tonight was reading something new that was stated in several places throughout the house (in the bathroom, in the kitchen…). 

It was the Burton Family Mission Statement, which states:

We are a family.  We are the Burtons.  We will live our lives to make Jesus smile.

If these are the people that I have to spend my week with, then maybe God wants to show me something about mission.  :0)  …because this family is on a mission.  What mission?  Well, its stated clearly in its mission statement, "to live [their] lives to make Jesus smile."  Certainly, this is a worthwhile mission.

I’ve got a few questions about that. What will that look like this week?  And how can I be a part of this great mission?  Can I steal that and tack it onto my own life mission statement? (To become better and to help others become better.)  It could now be:  To become better at making Jesus smile and to also help others become better at making Jesus smile.  Perhaps I will tweak that, but it will do for the moment.

I remember the first time I ever learned about such a thing.  It was as a student leader in my high school youth group.  I had an amazing youth pastor who taught us a thing or two about leading.  It’s hard to forget those times when he would walk us through writing and rewriting our mission statements and goals.  Sounds of "Failing to plan is planning to fail" run through my head even now!  I’m glad that at the age of 15 God wasn’t complete in writing my mission on my heart.  He has since expanded my heart beyond myself and my own desires.  I like that. 

If you have a family, it might be cool to write a mission statement together. It builds ownership.  Once we’ve got a goal in mind, we can always take anything we want to do back to the goal.  If something doesn’t somehow help to meet the goal, then it needs to be evaluated for what it’s worth in your life, or the life of your family.  Inspiration is running through my veins as I write.  I might even do this in my class. 

What’s your mission statement?