Family Dinner

The family dinner table is often a lost art. In the black and white days, “Leave it to Beaver,” the popular TV show of the 50’s, the Cleaver family met regularly for the dinner meal. Today times have changed; parents work overtime at the job, run off to take the kids to soccer practice and a myriad of other hobbies, interests and responsibilities consumer the evening hours.

Strong families have strong values. Coming together regularly may sound nostalgic, old-fashioned or even of the Puritan era but research shows families who take time to be together “on purpose” will survive the storms of family life.

The National Center for Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) study shows, that families who eat together are most likely to do well in school, eat nutritious foods, practice good tables matters and the report included, that table dinners with the family has an impact on delaying sexual activity. Plus, teens are less likely to smoke, do drugs, drink alcohol, be depressed or consider suicide. I realize many other reasons for this family improvement can be factored in to this equation but the matter is resolved, families who have a regular time of meeting around the dinner table show improvement in several life choices.

Straying from negative subjects is of extreme importance when eating. Turning all cell phones on silent and having a set time for dinner so the entire family can participate are of great value. So let’s pull the recipe book out, carve out some delicious meals for the weekly menu, turn the TV off and enjoy a family time together around the dinner table.

Family Prayer

When our children were preschoolers we would have a regular scheduled time for prayer and Bible story time. Each evening the children would climb on the couch for daddy to tell a story, take prayer requests and pray with each one. Later on when my children grew to be teens, praying together as a family was a directive for their relationships, school work and other pursuits. Now, my children are married and have children of their own, what a great delight to know they pray with their children each night before bedtime.
The Gospels record Jesus inviting the children to come to Him. Family prayer has many benefits but let me name just a few:
It is a great time for the family to talk about pressing issues. Families don't get enough time to have meaningful conversations about moral, economical or relational subjects and the time of Family Prayer can open up discussion of these vital topics. It is found among teens, they will follow whoever listens to them.
It is a great time to express our love for each other. My wife and I would often thank Jesus for each other while praying, reinforcing our love and commitment to each other at our family time of prayer. Holding the children in your lap and praying a blessing over them not only has biblical roots but can open the door for your child to receive what God has in store for each child.
It is a great time to uncover the purpose for each child. Each person has a unique calling and purpose for life. Family prayer time can investigate the gifts of each child and expose them to various callings for their life.
It is a great time to pray for their protection. Each time you send your child into the public school you risk not seeing that child return in the same spirit. We must pray protection over their body, mind and spirit. The Israel customs were full of symbolism and in Exodus the description of putting blood on the doorposts to protect the family from the death angel, reminds us to plead the blood over our children for their protection in an evil world.
It is a great time to memorize the Word of God together. With all the functions, activities and events of the local church, there is nothing as powerful as the family memorizing the Word of God together. En-grafting the Word of God in our mind and life is an awesome insurance for the lives of our children. Deuteronomy 6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

Family Fun

The most bonding of all family events is having fun together. Laughing, throwing a ball, a picnic, vacation, surprise visit, birthday parties, and a long list of a lot more. We all stake our claim to busyness but we need to funny business going on win our family life. Taking the children for a walk, a trip to the zoo, a children's event, pizza or camping out in the living room are once in a lifetime events that children and families will remember forever. Take the camera or a video camera and get double the fun by doing popcorn and a video the following weekend. Turn off the TV, set your voicemail to pick up business after your trip out and have fun. One of the greatest investments we made was a condo on the lake that we frequent with our family. Skype the relatives that live a far distance from you and let the children visit with relatives you wouldn't normally see very often.
Fun is spelled Forever - the time you will have will indelibly be etched in a child's memory forever. Unique - the different, outlandish and sometimes, odd will make the most impact. Not expensive - fun doesn't have to cost very much. Look for the free or inexpensive family oriented events in your area. Make a list that can be referred to from time to time.
Let's get started this weekend.

Rating Children's Movies

In the reinvention stage several black and white classical themes and characters are being recreated into culturally relevant pseudo movies. These cartoon character movies are aimed at children, ages 7 to 14, but characterize demonic, anti-God and sexual innuendoes aimed at diverting, de-sensitizing and perverting.
According to a Christian publication, in one children’s movie, rated PG, there was 1 sexual verbiage, 5 profanities, and twice disrespected God with a laugh and a sneer. Focus on the Family reports a recent pirate cartoon includes 5 curse words, including taking the name of the Lord God in vain plus, several sexual allusions, including a nudist boat, (though all is covered by camera angle) and an island where the women are covered only by their long hair and flowers.
Without being thought a prude, old-fashioned, negative or “holy Joe” let me contend for the children. While it is most impossible to cover the “little ones” eyes every time they go into the grocery store it is most possible to shield our children from the entertainment that introduces crude language, amoral sexual behavior and other “innocent(?)” attacks on moral standards of the Christian family.
This is no longer the clean humor of Porky Pig, Mickey Mouse or Clifford the Dog. Cartoon or otherwise, PG rating or not, we must guard the hearts of children and maintain their innocence as long as possible. And in the popular Facebook language, “Just sayin….”

Fathers Who Make a Difference

Fatherhood is the most underrated job position in the nation. We have misunderstood the role of a father in the home, we have miscalculated his impact and have misconstrued his value. A father can make a dramatic difference in a family.

Take these staggering reports from Focus on the Family:

• Approximately 50% of all marriages in the church are experiencing divorce.
• 69-94% of Christian teens are leaving the faith after they graduate from high school.
• Less than 10% of churchgoing families read the Bible together, pray together or worship together in the home.

Could it be that if we could get father’s to lead their family in reading the Bible together, praying together and worship together in the home that we could drop the divorce rate and better emphasize the importance of the faith to our struggling teenagers.

Families need glue to hold them together and prayer in the home is the glue. There is something about a father leading in devotions and praying for each family member that inbreeds the essential elements of the faith that is not found in the church. Every family must find a church, get plugged in, be faithful and supportive but praying at the home brings to the family a bond that cannot be found elsewhere.

Where are the father’s who will teach humbly about asking for forgiveness, embracing a teen and saying “I love you?” Where are the father’s that will encourage each child in their gifts? Where are the father’s that will spend time training the children to respect, honor and obey their mother?

That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged. 4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: 5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. 9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
Deut 6:2, 4-9 (KJV)

Attention Fathers ! Be the Man!

The Power of a Praying Mother

The world will never fully know what could have been and what has been the result of a praying mother. Soldiers have been protected and brought home safely to a loving wife and precious baby as the result of a praying mother. Daughters have been gifted with wisdom at the right moment because of a praying mother. A grandchild has been protected from a serious injury because of a praying mother.

More than once the simple cry from a praying mother’s lips have pierced through the evil chambers of hell and have rescued a drifting child. More than once a desperate child heeded the invitation to respond to a loving relationship with Jesus Christ. More than once a marriage has been saved, more than once a child has been healed, more than once a life has been changed because of a mother’s prayer.

Mother’s know how to hold on. Mother’s know how to plead; Mother’s know how to pray!

She may not flatter others with her charm, she may not wear the latest style, she may not attempt to popularity or success but she knows God! And that is all that matters.

Thanks Mom for praying.

Our tribute to Mother’s and may every day be Mother’s Day!