Spending time with the family is fun when the family is working right. On December 27,2008 I was like a little kid anxiously waiting for everyone to arrive. I would periodically look out the window facing the driveway to see if there was a vehicle pulling up to the house. I couldn’t wait for that white Cavalier, silver Van and big white Suburban to arrive loaded with our kids, grand kids, son-in-laws, daughter in-law and a boyfriend. Everyone was staying for the week! Well, they finally arrived and we had a great time! We ate too much , stayed up way too late, played real hard, laughed, talked and talked and then ate some more. Wow! It doesn’t get better than spending time with family when the family is working right.
How do families work right? How do families become strong?
A family doesn’t start out strong or work right on its own. Family strength begins when the foundation of the home is Christ. A strong family is made up of individuals who understand the depths of God’s love.
Family is God’s idea. It is one of His greatest gifts to us. In family we can love and experience being loved because of God’s example. Family is the context for real relationships. Members of a strong family are committed to each other. They care for each other in practical ways. Strong families are not void of hardships, challenges and disappointments. But most often they view the circumstances of life as opportunities to grow and prayer is a vital component of each day.
When family is working right the home becomes the primary place for spiritual formation. As a parent lives out their faith in front of their child through positive attitudes and actions the Word comes alive in that young life. Children need to hear and experience in their homes the life-changing message of Jesus Christ. This message is what gives us all hope! There is nothing else like it.
Children’s perception of God comes through the real life connection that they have with their parents. Those meaningful connections happen when parents deliberately include their children into their daily lives. Children deserve both quality and quantity of time with their parents. A child perceives very quickly when they are just tolerated or truly loved.
As you strive to strengthen your family here are some important questions to ponder: Is Jesus real in my life? Is my family drawn closer to God by the way I treat them? Do I share the love of Jesus with my children? Do my kids enjoy my company? Do I spend quality and quantity of time with my spouse and children? What kind of marriage relationship do my kids see and experience behind the closed doors of my home? Do I work hard at blending the differences that exist between my spouse and I? Do I look for and create opportunities to encourage and bless each person in my home? How well do I communicate with my spouse and children? Do I take time to listen to the heart of my spouse and children? Am I emotionally available for my family or am I pre-occupied with myself and earning money? Am I taking steps to heal areas of my past that hinder my relationships with my family?
I hope that your time together in family over the holidays was an opportunity for meaningful connections. I want to do everything I can to speak encouragement into your life and into the life of your family. It takes a team to develop strong families. Doing things right in family is hard work! But when heart connections are made, standing at the window waiting for your family to arrive becomes the natural thing to do.
Blessings to you and your family!
Pastor Doug
