Painting on the Wall

A picture paints a thousand words.  However, words can also paint a picture.  A friend is painting her wall.  She is painting words.  She is painting words that paint a picture of her family.  Perhaps she will surround it with portraits.  Her guests will read her wall and know what is important:

We're the Grahamcracker Crew...
We do death before dishonor
We do NOTHING before coffee
We do popcorn balls at Christmas
We do Brunch ALOT
We do RELATIONSHIP not religion
We do courage without the roar
We do THINGS. Yep. We're thing doers.
We do forgiveness & Do-overs
We do giggles & grins
We do sufficiently creepy
We do soccer AND NASCAR without a feather duster
We do friends are family
We do NOT judge
We do auld lang syne
We do Metaphoric Lint
We do Common Courtesy
We do LOUD really well
We do movie quotes
We do 3 o'clock Tea
We do God's Love in ACTION

I want to do this.  I want to define how we do family.  I want words like these on my wall to remind me that I am DOING family with my family, that I am not alone, that I have chosen to follow God.  I want what we do and why we do it to be seen by all I meet, painted on my hands and face, in the things I do and the things I say.  I don’t just want it on my wall..I want it in my heart.  Like David in the Psalms, I sing out, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”  I want the “wall” of my family to say, “We DO God.” 

The last three letters of family are ily.  “I love you”.  When you think about your family, your spouse, your kids, what do you DO?  What is your corporate attitude toward life?  Make a list.  What is painted on the inside of your heart?  Paint it on the wall if you’d like.  Be funny, be thoughtful.  Above all, be true. 

We are TEAM Westphal

We do GOD’S GRACE

We do relationship and not simply rules

We do VISION instead of sight

We do going on ADVENTURE

We do FORGIVENESS and friends

We do encourage, UPLIFT, and edify.

We do games and BOOKS

We do laughter loudly

We do learning

We do USE WORDS if necessary

We do listen and LOVE

We do teach and learn

We do GOD

This is what is painted on the walls of my heart,  pinned on the pinterest of my brain, and posted on the facebook of my soul.  This is my post, my family mission, if you will.  Look, see, and find the Christ we love at the center of our family.  God is the ILY, the “I Love You” in our family. 

This “We do” list may not end up on our wall just yet, but it is in our minds and hearts, and in our words and actions.  What we do must match up with the wall.  Actions may speak louder than words, but there’s harmony when they match.