Every conversation starts a ripple.
Activities to help your family discover their values then live them out.
Every conversation starts a RIPPLE.
RIPPLE helps you ask the question, “What kind of family do we want to be?” and then do something about it. Through short, engaging family activities and guided conversation, your family will create a plan to help you decide what matters deeply to you, and then establish practices to put you, and keep you, on that path.
BASED ON 10 FOUNDATIONAL CHRISTIAN PRACTICES
Love
The first practice is Love, which is at the heart of a healthy spiritual life. This practice is about loving God and Loving others. We love as a response to God’s love for us and in doing so we commit not just to care for ourselves, but also for the wellbeing of others. Love nurtures compassion which changes us, our family and our community.
Mindfulness
The practice of mindfulness, in this context, is about being attentive to the many ways in which God is present in your life. Mindfulness includes prayer and meditation. In big and small things, we give ourselves the time to question, study, reflect and listen to God, to nature, and to each other.
Stability
The third practice is about our commitment to the daily life of our family. In order to pursue God, and our deepest desires we pay attention to our daily interactions, in good times and bad, for the course of our lives. We commit to deep and real engagement. Stability allows us to listen to each other, and to place value on our shared effort and understanding over individual pursuits.
Conversatio
Conversatio, different than conversation, is a Latin word meaning a common way of life followed with devotion. The practice of Conversatio helps with our formation and transformation. It is a commitment to the life-long process of transforming into the likeness of God by cultivating habits that nurture learning and generosity toward others. Conversatio is a series of small steps, requiring truthfulness, discipline and faithfulness moving us out of our comfort zones for the sake of transformation.
Obedience
The word of Obedience comes from the latin word audire which means to listen. In this context, the practice of obedience isn’t about a child being obedient to their parent. It’s about a family being obedient to each other as no individual person possesses all truth. Each member of the family has something important to say about the fullness of life. Creating a peaceful atmosphere where we listen with the heart helps us move away from a frenzied life.
Discipline
The practice of Discipline helps us focus attention on what matters, such as prayer, work, health and relationships. No learning takes place without discipline. In a monastery they stop what they are doing at the bell, not because they want to, but because it’s time for what they have communally decided matters most. This is something we can learn from in family life.
Humility
The practice of Humility is about acknowledging our faults and weaknesses. We are honest and accountable to each other about these things and we strive to recognize our gifts and talents and the gifts and talents of others. We humbly use these gifts for the good of the whole family as we care for each other and for our neighbors.
Stewardship
The practice of Stewardship is about wise and generous use of the things that God has given us to care for. We are part of a larger ecology including our family, other people, animals and nature. God has provided enough resources for the good of all. Good stewardship is about sustainable use and just distribution of these resources.
Hospitality
The practice of Hospitality is about extending a gracious and respectful welcome to others. This practice requires an openness to being transformed by the other person as we engage nonjudgmentally with new ideas and perspectives. Hospitality cultivates an acknowledgment that we are all God’s children, brothers and sisters.
Community
The practice of community is about serving each other for the common good with no expectation of a reward. True community focuses not just on our family, or our proximal neighbor but includes diverse communities around the globe in order to foster human well-being safeguarding justice and love for all.
Family Sessions
Do you wish you had a simple way to talk about your values with your kids? Do you feel pulled in too many directions and find it difficult to feel really connected? Whether you have grown children living in another state, children of any age living at home, or no children, RIPPLE helps you ask the question, “What kind of family do we want to be?” and then do something about it. Using foundational Christian practices, your family will create a plan to help you determine and describe what matters deeply to you, and then, through fun activities, establish practices to get you there.
Your family or community group will be moving at your own pace through a series of practices that teach us how to live with one another in a loving, healthy, balanced way. Select a “practice” to learn more, then select one of the “sessions” below it to begin. There are multiple sessions per practice to reinforce the ideas.
These short, interactive sessions can be done right at your kitchen table on your mobile phone, iPad or computer.
Start your journey of discovery today.
Find clarity around your values and create a meaningful life full of intention.