be the good shirt

 

Having a family theme creates a wonderful bond. I was raised by two amazing people who were dedicated to teaching us, showing us love, and keeping us close. I feel incredibly blessed every day. They are now doing the same for their grandchildren and adult children. My mom, especially, always has wisdom or lessons she tries to impart, and my dad is a happy conspirator. This past year, they taught us all through a family theme, and it was so special to watch each family member do his or her best to take that theme to heart.

You could do this in your own little family, or this would make a great extended family goal. You can make it as simple or as intricate as you have the energy for; it is incredibly flexible. Here are a few ideas:

The Theme: BE THE GOOD

The Intro: They shared this beautiful song/video by Alex Boye and Carmen Rasmusen Herbert. I would also recommend showing  this inspirational video that so perfectly illustrates BEING THE GOOD. After the videos, they shared a bit about why having our family BE THE GOOD is important to them.

The Shirt: Each person in the family was given this BE THE GOOD shirt from www.mycentsofstyle.com. They were great quality, a cute fit and we wore them all of the time. Unfortunately, it looks like they only sell the women’s version now. Last year we were able to get gray ones for the men and black ones for the boys that everyone loved. You could try designing your own instead though. One day each month we were all supposed to wear them.

You could also make a sign instead, like this one from Infarrantly Creative, or keep it super simple and create a printable in word and frame it for all the participants.

be the good sign

 

The Book: Thebook, UNSELFISH, has been an absolute joy and so inspirational for all ages. It is the perfect companion to a year of BEING THE GOOD. More info about it HERE.

The Calendar: Each month the parents were texted a family calendar with special dates highlighted, but more importantly, our challenge to BE THE GOOD. Each month we were given one item from the following list (many taken from Jason Wright’s awesome article):

  • BE THE GOOD by thanking someone (write thank-you notes/give verbal thank-yous)
  • BE THE GOOD in your own family (serve your brothers or sisters/go the extra mile)
  • BE THE GOOD in your neighborhood (rake leaves/shovel snow/take in garbage cans/bring dinner)
  • BE THE GOOD in your community (help at a community event/serve in a shelter/clean up a park)
  • BE THE GOOD in the world (do chores and donate to a humanitarian fund/learn more about a special cause and make others aware)
  • BE THE GOOD by sharing your talents (sing in church/tutor a younger sibling/make someone laugh)
  • BE THE GOOD by supporting a missionary or soldier (write a letter/send a care package)
  • BE THE GOOD by serving your parents (thank them/do a special chore/listen/love them)
  • BE THE GOOD by praying for someone (pray for someone in need all month/think about them and help them)
  • BE THE GOOD to someone you don’t know (see a need and fill it/make a new friend/help a stranger)
  • BE THE GOOD by paying compliments (use your words for good/ say something nice to every one you meet)
  • BE THE GOOD at school or work (do the jobs no one wants/help a friend or co-worker/bring in a treat)

The Reporting: Each month when we gathered together each person took a turn to say what they did to BE THE GOOD that month. In all honesty, sometimes it was crazy and everyone barely got a short sentence in, but the important thing was that we all, most months, worked a little harder to BE THE GOOD in our own corner of the world. This would be simple to do with family near or far through Skype or Face Time and it is not religion specific. I’m sure it was a lot of work, and took regular effort from my parents to keep it going, but it was a wonderful year as we bonded together as a family and focused outward.

We can’t wait for this year’s new theme!

be the good collage small

 

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