Faith and Business 101: Family Council
It’s January 15, 2010….can you believe it? Halfway through January already. The new year is off and running! This week my hubs and I have a “Family Council Meeting” planned. We make this a priority at the beginning of every year. We go over everything from finances to exercise to summer vacations…and everything in between. I encourage you to do the same thing for your family and for your business. This is a special and fun time that both my husband and I look forward to! We plan our favorite meal and dessert for that evening, we get out our special notebook containing our goals and dreams from the previous year, and we get everything out on the table.
For your own family, I suggest letting everyone know ahead of time that they will be included in the discussion. Have a list of questions ready to ask each other. A list is important because it helps even the most introverted person express his or her desires and goals in life Everyone gets a say at family council! Even your 3 year old will have something to contribute. This is a time to evaluate where you are as a family. Ask questions like: are we spending enough time together as a family? Are we eating dinner together enough throughout the week? What is important to each child? Etc.
Talk about what each family member was thankful for this past year, their disappointments, things you can do better and goals for the next year. Plan some activities for your entire family to do in the coming months. This also helps keep spirits lifted and gives the family something to look forward to after Christmas.
After the kids are in bed, continue this conversation with your husband.
Here are the set of questions we use:
Questions Husbands Should Ask Their Wives
1. What could I do to make you feel more loved?
2. What could I do to make you feel more respected?
3. What could I do to make you feel more understood?
4. What could I do to make you feel more secure?
5. What can I do to make you feel more confident in our future direction?
6. What attribute would you like me to develop?
7. What attribute would you like me to help you develop?
8. What achievement in my life would bring you the greatest joy?
9. What would indicate to you that I really desire to be more Christ-like?
10. What mutual goal would you like to see us accomplish?Questions Wives Should Ask Their Husbands
1. Do you feel I properly understand the goals that God has placed in your heart? How can I help you achieve them?
2. What are some things I can do regularly to show you just how satisfied I am with you as my husband and the leader of our home?
3. Is there anything I am doing or failing to do that seems to send a signal that I do not honor you or your leadership in our home?
4. Is there anything I can change to make our home a place where you feel more satisfied and comfortable?
5. Are there any big dreams in your heart that you have been hesitant to share with me? How can I help you fulfill them?
6. How do you feel we can begin communicating better than we already are?
7. Do you feel that there is anything keeping either one or both of us from God’s best in our lives? What should be my part in freeing us from those restraints?
8. Are we where you wanted us to be at this stage of life? How can I help you make that possible within God’s guidelines?
9. How do you envision our future together? What can we do together to achieve that goal?
10. What can I do to show you how much I need and trust you?Taken from www.marriagenet.org
What does this have to do with your business? Well, I firmly believe that if your marriage and/or family is in trouble, you cannot effectively run any type of business. When you have a healthy family life, you have more energy to dedicate to your business. Put your faith and your family first! Then start working on your business goals.
“Guide older women into lives of reverence so they end up as neither gossips nor drunks, but models of goodness. By looking at them, the younger women will know how to love their husbands and children, be virtuous and pure, keep a good house, be good wives. We don’t want anyone looking down on God’s Message because of their behavior.” Titus 2: 2-6 MSG
Until Next Time…
MariLee
Copyright © MariLee Parrish, Moms of Faith, All Rights Reserved
Wow. I love that you guys set this goal each year and talk about so many things! What a cool thing to give each other; that un-divided attention and respect.
My husband and I talk about things like this pretty often but I also really like the idea of having a “set meeting.” Especially if we pull our kids into that.
All research points to the idea that when we talk, communicate, listen to each other’s needs, eat together, etc – the chances of divorce and kids “wondering” is far lowered. I think our generation has gotten so wrapped up in that “it’s all about ME” mentality that family is pushed to the side as other things take over: work, the gym, movies, a career, whatever.
And then we look back and wonder where it all went wrong. Really – people just want to be seen and heard. From birth to death :-) Thanks for this great reminder, MariLee!