Melissa Mashburn

Real Women. Real Life. Real Faith.

MOM Mission Statement: Why It’s Important To Have One

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Mom Mission Statement Graphic (1)

4 “Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.[a] 5 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. 6 And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. 7 Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Deuteronomy 6:4-7 NLT

Mission Statements — Most businesses have them, ministries have them, and so do several other organizations. They guide the organizations in pursuit of the main goal of what and why they do what they do.

As a matter of fact, according to Dictionary.com, here is what the official definition of mission statement is; an official document that sets out the goals, purpose, and work of an organization.

Why is it that we have mission statements for our work and ministry life, but don’t necessarily have them for our families or our parenting?

I’m not sure when this idea actually hit me but it was many years ago when my boys were little (they aren’t so little any longer). I remember talking with my husband and dreaming about what kind of men they would be when they grew up. That simple little conversation sparked something in me that wanted to be more proactive in my approach as a mom.

I wasn’t going to sit by and just let things happen (yes, yes, I have control issues, but this time it actually helped) to our boys as they grew up. I was going to be specific and intentional in my approach as their mom. I didn’t necessarily have a laid out plan for what this was going to look like in the long haul, but what I did do was to create a MOM Mission Statement.

I know, I know, it might sound a little corny, but I’ve been in ministry for almost fifteen years and have always had a mission statement in my professional and personal ministry, so it seemed a natural fit for me to craft up a mom mission statement. This would be the guiding factor in what would become of the many decisions for my boys for many years to come. It’s not a perfect formula, but it has worked for me and I’m hoping that by sharing this idea, that maybe it will work for you too.

So, what was this magical formula for my boys, well, for me, it was simply this;

“I want to raise godly men that know and fear the Lord, that will seek Him first in all that they do, that will lead their families with strength, honor and integrity and that will serve Him with all their heart and soul in whatever He has planned for them to do.”

See, nothing out of the ordinary, but by writing it down it became my guiding light in all the decisions, prayers and ways that my husband and I would parent them. Did we always hit the mark…um, no, but thankfully this framework has helped me, as their mom, to narrow down to the core the principles of what I’m do teach them, as their mom, before they leave my house.

We are their mom’s…forever, but the reality is that we have a limited amount of time to teach and train them all they need to know before they head off into the world on their own. Why not be proactive about and decide right now what it is that God wants you to pour into them so that they can be all God created them to be.

It’s a decision that has served our family well over the years. Our boys are nineteen and seventeen now and no, they are not perfect, but they are good, godly young men. They serve, they give and they are passionately pursuing what God has planned for them–and as their mom, there’s nothing that makes me more happy than that.

What about you…

Have you ever thought about making a MOM Mission Statement?

What things would you add in your mission statement that are specific to your child(ren)?

 I can’t wait to hear what ideas this sparks! I’m praying for you as you seek to see if this is something that might work for your family too.

Seeking JOY on the Journey,

Melissa

This post was originally shared over at The M.O.M. Initiative – Mothers on a Mission to Mentor Other Mothers, check out their incredible website for a ton of useful, helpful and practical stuff for moms at www.themominitiative.com.

Lessons I’m Learning At Back To School Time

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I can hardly believe that picture in the middle was twelve-years-ago. 
How did that happen? 

I was sitting on the floor in my oldest boy’s 1st grade classroom, soaking up the cuddling they gave up so freely, and now today my oldest started college and my youngest is a Junior in high school.

Oh.my.word!

It’s been a very melancholy and reflective day in my world…mostly because it is the first time since January (yes…January) that I’ve been able to just sit, soak, and ponder life a bit.

I’ve not always made the best decisions and I may not have been the most accomplished woman in the world…but you know what, being a mom, well–that’s just about the best and most accomplished thing I’ve done and I am so proud to be their mama.

Moms, you don’t have to be perfect, you don’t have to have all the right answers. 

You will;
  • drop the ball, 
  • miss an appointment (Yikes, I just realized typing this that I need to call the orthodontist, I will do that next, lol), 
  • lose your cool, 
  • your mind and 
  • possibly your waist
  • …but it is all so worth it.

As your babies (no matter how big or how small they are) step out in new adventures this season celebrate the gift of what God has allowed you to be a part of. It really is something special.

For me…I’m learning (slowly but surely) to be fully present and engaged in each step of this journey with my kids.

What are some things you’re learning along the back to school season with your kids?

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Lessons I’m Learning At Back To School Time

By:

I can hardly believe that picture in the middle was twelve-years-ago. 
How did that happen? 

I was sitting on the floor in my oldest boy’s 1st grade classroom, soaking up the cuddling they gave up so freely, and now today my oldest started college and my youngest is a Junior in high school.

Oh.my.word!

It’s been a very melancholy and reflective day in my world…mostly because it is the first time since January (yes…January) that I’ve been able to just sit, soak, and ponder life a bit.

I’ve not always made the best decisions and I may not have been the most accomplished woman in the world…but you know what, being a mom, well–that’s just about the best and most accomplished thing I’ve done and I am so proud to be their mama.

Moms, you don’t have to be perfect, you don’t have to have all the right answers. 

You will;
  • drop the ball, 
  • miss an appointment (Yikes, I just realized typing this that I need to call the orthodontist, I will do that next, lol), 
  • lose your cool, 
  • your mind and 
  • possibly your waist
  • …but it is all so worth it.

As your babies (no matter how big or how small they are) step out in new adventures this season celebrate the gift of what God has allowed you to be a part of. It really is something special.

For me…I’m learning (slowly but surely) to be fully present and engaged in each step of this journey with my kids.

What are some things you’re learning along the back to school season with your kids?

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Wiggled His Way Into Our Heart

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Six weeks ago, in the midst of all the ministry season craziness, end of the year madness and my oldest son’s high school graduation (more on this in another post…so much to tell), my husband, who I have known and loved for twenty years, walked into the house with this puppy.

He had been abandoned, was scared, lonely and in need of a home. In the twenty years I have known my hubby he has never (ever, ever) done anything like this…but he just had a feeling that this dog was supposed to be ours.

We tentatively said that we would keep him “for a few days” to try him out with our family, then went about our regular day to day chaos. 

Little did we know that with each passing day this little guy was actually wiggling his way into our hearts, and now, six weeks later, we can’t imagine life without him.

This is our dog, Duke! 

He is the baby of the family, our 3rd son and just about the sweetest little puppy on the planet. He’s still a puppy, and we’ve not had a dog in years (like 15 years at least), but we’ve expanded our hearts and he took it right away from us.

Who would have thought that six weeks ago that “feeling” that he belonged with our family would turn out to be one of the biggest blessings ever!

PS – We have a kitty too, his name is Willy. 
Willy has been with us for 10 years…needless to say he thinks the puppy is way over rated, but deep down we know Willy likes him too!
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Wiggled His Way Into Our Heart

By:

Six weeks ago, in the midst of all the ministry season craziness, end of the year madness and my oldest son’s high school graduation (more on this in another post…so much to tell), my husband, who I have known and loved for twenty years, walked into the house with this puppy.

He had been abandoned, was scared, lonely and in need of a home. In the twenty years I have known my hubby he has never (ever, ever) done anything like this…but he just had a feeling that this dog was supposed to be ours.

We tentatively said that we would keep him “for a few days” to try him out with our family, then went about our regular day to day chaos. 

Little did we know that with each passing day this little guy was actually wiggling his way into our hearts, and now, six weeks later, we can’t imagine life without him.

This is our dog, Duke! 

He is the baby of the family, our 3rd son and just about the sweetest little puppy on the planet. He’s still a puppy, and we’ve not had a dog in years (like 15 years at least), but we’ve expanded our hearts and he took it right away from us.

Who would have thought that six weeks ago that “feeling” that he belonged with our family would turn out to be one of the biggest blessings ever!

PS – We have a kitty too, his name is Willy. 
Willy has been with us for 10 years…needless to say he thinks the puppy is way over rated, but deep down we know Willy likes him too!
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They Are Still Waiting…

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Sponsor a Waiting Child from Compassion International on Vimeo.

Make a difference in the life of a child who has been waiting over six months for a sponsor. You can end their wait when you sponsor a child today.

A LESSON IN COMPASSION

Time for a crash course in our Child Sponsorship Program…

Let’s say you’re a child growing up in poverty. A church nearby your home announces that they have partnered with Compassion and because of this partnership, if you are registered in the program, you will receive benefits that were never before available to you.

Benefits like:
• educational opportunities
• health care and health-related instruction
• nutrition
• life-skills training
And opportunities to hear about and respond to the gospel.

It’s all very exciting so your parents take you and register you at the local church. The church volunteers gather information about you and your family and take your picture. You’re officially registered!

You now have all the financial benefits of this program but there’s more! You are going to be connected to one sponsor. You just have to wait for someone to sponsor you.

And for some children, they wait and wait and wait…

WHY DID WE CHOOSE TO SPONSOR

We’ve been Compassion sponsors for almost three years now. It started one Sunday, actually…it was May 17, 2009 and our church was having a “Compassion Sunday” where we talked about sponsoring kids from Guatemala. We were taking a team to Guatemala that summer and were told that if we sponsored a child in a specific region that while on the mission trip that we would get to meet our child.

What started out as a simple step that Sunday morning has turned into one great adventure for our family. That summer my husband went with a team to Guatemala and was able to meet our Compassion daughter, Ericka. He went to her school, her church, met her Pastor and her family. They even were able to go to an amusement park (her first time in the city) and spend the day with other Compassion sponsors and their sponsored children.

Over the years we have written letters back and forth, watched her grow up and this past summer my husband and our youngest son were able to go back to Guatemala with Compassion for another mission trip. Needless to say it was an emotional trip for the guys as well as Ericka and her family.

While there my youngest son (he’s 15) decided that he wanted to sponsor a child all on his own. So now we have Luis as part of our family as well. They took Ericka and Luis to the museum while they were there and were able to help build new classrooms for Luis’ school.

This summer we are going back…again.

I can’t think of any one thing like this that has impacted our family as sponsoring these kids have. They are a part of our family now. We pray for them, write to them, and keep track of their growth just as we would our own kids.

The trouble is, though, that there are so many more kids waiting to be sponsored. Some of them are on a “longest waiting” list, which means they have been enrolled in the program for 6 months waiting on someone to sponsor them.

I look at their sweet faces and my heart just breaks.

Some have waited over 247 days for someone to sponsor them.

Listen, I know it takes a step of faith to do this…but would you please just pray about it.

Go to the “Longest Waiting” page (click here) and at least look at them. Look at all those sweet faces. Pray about it. Talk to your family about it, then watch and see what God does next.

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If you sponsor a Longest Waiting Child you will receive a *free Compassion Scrapbook.

*Must sign-up online and make their first payment with their credit or debit card and be a resident of the U.S. or territories.

They Are Still Waiting…

By:

Sponsor a Waiting Child from Compassion International on Vimeo.

Make a difference in the life of a child who has been waiting over six months for a sponsor. You can end their wait when you sponsor a child today.

A LESSON IN COMPASSION

Time for a crash course in our Child Sponsorship Program…

Let’s say you’re a child growing up in poverty. A church nearby your home announces that they have partnered with Compassion and because of this partnership, if you are registered in the program, you will receive benefits that were never before available to you.

Benefits like:
• educational opportunities
• health care and health-related instruction
• nutrition
• life-skills training
And opportunities to hear about and respond to the gospel.

It’s all very exciting so your parents take you and register you at the local church. The church volunteers gather information about you and your family and take your picture. You’re officially registered!

You now have all the financial benefits of this program but there’s more! You are going to be connected to one sponsor. You just have to wait for someone to sponsor you.

And for some children, they wait and wait and wait…

WHY DID WE CHOOSE TO SPONSOR

We’ve been Compassion sponsors for almost three years now. It started one Sunday, actually…it was May 17, 2009 and our church was having a “Compassion Sunday” where we talked about sponsoring kids from Guatemala. We were taking a team to Guatemala that summer and were told that if we sponsored a child in a specific region that while on the mission trip that we would get to meet our child.

What started out as a simple step that Sunday morning has turned into one great adventure for our family. That summer my husband went with a team to Guatemala and was able to meet our Compassion daughter, Ericka. He went to her school, her church, met her Pastor and her family. They even were able to go to an amusement park (her first time in the city) and spend the day with other Compassion sponsors and their sponsored children.

Over the years we have written letters back and forth, watched her grow up and this past summer my husband and our youngest son were able to go back to Guatemala with Compassion for another mission trip. Needless to say it was an emotional trip for the guys as well as Ericka and her family.

While there my youngest son (he’s 15) decided that he wanted to sponsor a child all on his own. So now we have Luis as part of our family as well. They took Ericka and Luis to the museum while they were there and were able to help build new classrooms for Luis’ school.

This summer we are going back…again.

I can’t think of any one thing like this that has impacted our family as sponsoring these kids have. They are a part of our family now. We pray for them, write to them, and keep track of their growth just as we would our own kids.

The trouble is, though, that there are so many more kids waiting to be sponsored. Some of them are on a “longest waiting” list, which means they have been enrolled in the program for 6 months waiting on someone to sponsor them.

I look at their sweet faces and my heart just breaks.

Some have waited over 247 days for someone to sponsor them.

Listen, I know it takes a step of faith to do this…but would you please just pray about it.

Go to the “Longest Waiting” page (click here) and at least look at them. Look at all those sweet faces. Pray about it. Talk to your family about it, then watch and see what God does next.

post signature

If you sponsor a Longest Waiting Child you will receive a *free Compassion Scrapbook.

*Must sign-up online and make their first payment with their credit or debit card and be a resident of the U.S. or territories.

These Kids Need a Sponsor…is it YOU?

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(photo credit: Sheila Englund)

This week I have been talking a lot about missions. This is not a regular thing for me, but here lately it has been something that has been on the forefront of my mind. On Monday I shared a little bit about how “He Created in Me a Heart for Missions“. I also talked a little bit about the family in my neck of the woods who is selling all their belongings and heading to Burkina Faso to minister to widows & orphans (I’ll be sharing more of their adventures soon). Then on Thursday I had my friend Ann Dunagan from Harvest Ministry, talking about “Seeking God’s Kingdom, not Selfishness!”

Yesterday I shared a little with you about our experience as a sponsor through Compassion. I talked about the trip my husband and youngest son, Bailey, took this summer and shared pictures and stories from the last few years as a Compassion sponsor.

I also mentioned that I was going to shoot straight from the heart…so here goes; God has been rocking my world lately. I mean grab me by my head and my feet and shaking me up…straight to the core of who I am. I’ve really been trying to make sense of it all, but one thing I know for sure. I can no longer sit around and pretend that one person can make a difference, when I KNOW that one person can.

This last trip to Guatemala this summer has opened the door for forty (40) more kids to be a part of the Compassion program in the 414 area of Guatemala (GU). Forty kids who have been living below poverty level in a very rural area of Guatemala now have an opportunity to be a part of the Compassion program.

Our church has already sponsored twenty (20) out of the forty (40)…and that’s great!!! But…I would really (really) love to see the other twenty (20) get sponsored as well. …and this is where you come in.

We’ve decided as a church (and a family) that we are specifically partnering with GU414 and will be taking more trips to Guatemala through Compassion for many years to come.

What a great way to pour into the hearts of those in need while opening the door to a possibility of going to meet them just as we have. How awesome would that be?

I know it might not be a step that you are ready to take right now. I’d just like to ask you to pray about it. I’m going to post the pictures and info cards for the remaining twenty (20) kids that need to be sponsored.

Look over their pictures.
Pray over them.
Talk to your family about sponsoring one or more of them.
Look for Kids the same age as your kids.
Look for birthdays that have a significance to your life.
Sponsor them.
Write letters to them.
Connect with them.

This decision is one that can make a difference in the life of a child from now until forever…if you want more information about Compassion International and what they do, then just go to the Compassion website and find out anything you’d like to know.

Your tax-deductible contribution of just $38 a month connects your child with a loving, church-based Child Sponsorship Program that provides:

* Food and clean water
* Medical care
* Educational opportunities
* Important life-skills training
* Most important of all, your sponsored child will hear about Jesus Christ and be encouraged to develop a lifelong relationship with God.

If you decide to sponsor…please please please…write down the child number for one of these twenty (20) children below. Their child number starts with GU 414….

You can email me and I can put you in contact with the Compassion Advocate in my area that is helping these twenty (20) kids to get sponsored. Thanks so much for your prayers! ~ Melissa

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These Kids Need a Sponsor…is it YOU?

By:

(photo credit: Sheila Englund)

This week I have been talking a lot about missions. This is not a regular thing for me, but here lately it has been something that has been on the forefront of my mind. On Monday I shared a little bit about how “He Created in Me a Heart for Missions“. I also talked a little bit about the family in my neck of the woods who is selling all their belongings and heading to Burkina Faso to minister to widows & orphans (I’ll be sharing more of their adventures soon). Then on Thursday I had my friend Ann Dunagan from Harvest Ministry, talking about “Seeking God’s Kingdom, not Selfishness!”

Yesterday I shared a little with you about our experience as a sponsor through Compassion. I talked about the trip my husband and youngest son, Bailey, took this summer and shared pictures and stories from the last few years as a Compassion sponsor.

I also mentioned that I was going to shoot straight from the heart…so here goes; God has been rocking my world lately. I mean grab me by my head and my feet and shaking me up…straight to the core of who I am. I’ve really been trying to make sense of it all, but one thing I know for sure. I can no longer sit around and pretend that one person can make a difference, when I KNOW that one person can.

This last trip to Guatemala this summer has opened the door for forty (40) more kids to be a part of the Compassion program in the 414 area of Guatemala (GU). Forty kids who have been living below poverty level in a very rural area of Guatemala now have an opportunity to be a part of the Compassion program.

Our church has already sponsored twenty (20) out of the forty (40)…and that’s great!!! But…I would really (really) love to see the other twenty (20) get sponsored as well. …and this is where you come in.

We’ve decided as a church (and a family) that we are specifically partnering with GU414 and will be taking more trips to Guatemala through Compassion for many years to come.

What a great way to pour into the hearts of those in need while opening the door to a possibility of going to meet them just as we have. How awesome would that be?

I know it might not be a step that you are ready to take right now. I’d just like to ask you to pray about it. I’m going to post the pictures and info cards for the remaining twenty (20) kids that need to be sponsored.

Look over their pictures.
Pray over them.
Talk to your family about sponsoring one or more of them.
Look for Kids the same age as your kids.
Look for birthdays that have a significance to your life.
Sponsor them.
Write letters to them.
Connect with them.

This decision is one that can make a difference in the life of a child from now until forever…if you want more information about Compassion International and what they do, then just go to the Compassion website and find out anything you’d like to know.

Your tax-deductible contribution of just $38 a month connects your child with a loving, church-based Child Sponsorship Program that provides:

* Food and clean water
* Medical care
* Educational opportunities
* Important life-skills training
* Most important of all, your sponsored child will hear about Jesus Christ and be encouraged to develop a lifelong relationship with God.

If you decide to sponsor…please please please…write down the child number for one of these twenty (20) children below. Their child number starts with GU 414….

You can email me and I can put you in contact with the Compassion Advocate in my area that is helping these twenty (20) kids to get sponsored. Thanks so much for your prayers! ~ Melissa

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Looking into the World of Child Sponsorship from Our Eyes

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Buckle up sweet friends, I am shooting straight from the heart today. I’m coming to you today and I’m asking for you to prayerfully consider sponsoring one or more of these precious children from Guatemala through Compassion.

Let me back up a quick minute…we have been sponsor’s with Compassion since May 17, 2009. On that day we had a “Compassion Sunday” at our church. We knew that we wanted to sponsor a little girl since we have two teenage boys (you know, the little girl we never had and all that good stuff) and we knew that our church was going to be taking a trip to Guatemala that summer…so it seemed like the perfect time for us.

What we didn’t know when we sponsored her was that my husband was able to meet our new Compassion child (now affectionately called our daughter) that summer. My husband was able to meet Erika and her family, see her school, visit her church, go to the Compassion field office, and even take her family to an amusement park in Guatemala City for the day. It was absolutely one of the MOST memorable trips of his life. When he left for the trip we packed a back pack full of goodies for Erika and a photo album full of pictures of our family.

Over the last two years we have received over a dozen letters & drawings from Erika and we have faithfully written her a letter every month (thanks to scheduling it in our family calendar). We’ve watched her grow, prayed for her daily and when a letter comes in the mail from Compassion the entire family stops what we are doing to see what’s going on in her world.

Well, this summer my husband went back to Guatemala with Compassion and this time he took our youngest son, Bailey, with him. While they were there they were able to reconnect with Erika and her family as well as spend the week building new classrooms for a Compassion project out in the rural area of Guatemala.

While they were in Guatemala Bailey decided that he wanted to sponsor a child on his own, so he started his sponsorship of Luis. Bailey was able to meet with Luis’ parents, see his home and talk to his mother about some health issues that Luis deals with on a regular basis…which, as God would have it, is something Bailey’s brother deals with as well. Bailey was able to talk to Luis’ mom and encourage her and let her know that we understood exactly about his illness.

Here’s a picture of Bailey and Luis at the children’s museum in Guatemala City.

They were also able to reconnect with Erika and her family. There was a mix up and the family pulled her out of the Compassion program, so we weren’t even sure they would be able to see her. They told us that our sponsorship was canceled and that we would need to pick another child. Well…we’re a little stubborn and could not imagine not being a part of Erika’s life, so when they arrived in Guatemala the Compassion team told them that they would be able to visit with Erika and her family. After talking to her mom they found out that they moved and didn’t realize they could stay in the program…long story short…Erika is BACK IN the program and we are her sponsors again…woohoo! 🙂

Here’s a picture of Erika and her brother Mario Enrique (we’re trying to get him in the program so we can sponsor him too!).

Oh my gracious, there is so much more to tell; like how while they were there they helped to build classrooms, had a quince for one of the girls on the missions team, went to church with the local kids, went on home visits and so much more.

Come back tomorrow to find out what happened after those two classrooms were completed.

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