On Life at Home

our children for school or sitters,
ourselves for a brand new workday,
then dealing with this backlog
of communications can rob
us of our peace and our tranquility.
What do you mean you lost
your lunch money? How did
the dog get loose again? You
cannot wear that pair of jeans to
school, they have a hole right in
the seat where you underwear
shows through. On and on it
goes, throughout the day.
Even a routine day can lend itself
to stress and turmoil, but add illness,
financial strain, marital discord,
or some other unplanned
circumstances, and you have
the makings of a day that is anything
but peaceful. You can feel
totally stressed out even before
you walk out the front door in the
morning. The scriptures tell us,
“This is the day which the Lord
has made, let us rejoice and be
glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24 NAS)
How do we honor our Heavenly
Father in our attitudes and the
daily routine of family life? What
should a Christian home look
like? How can we attain a peaceful
environment in the midst of
busy schedules and periodic
chaos? Furthermore, why is it
important? These are all questions
that need to be addressed.
No Perfect Families
Years ago, the perfect family
was portrayed in television programs
such as, “Ozzie and Harriet”
or “The Donna Reed Show.”
I know many of you have no
idea who these people are… but
trust me they were touted as the
ideal families, at least in television
land of yesterday. Unfortunately,
perfect families only exist
on TV; they are far from the reality
that most of us know, especially
today. While perfect may
not be attainable; peaceable,
caring, nurturing, and fun loving
atmospheres are not. An atmosphere
that offers a safe refuge
from the turmoil that work and
school can create is attainable;
that is when we make Christ the
center of our home.
Christ as the center of the Christian
home is the primary key to
successfully cultivating a loving
and peaceable home. As parents,
we are reminded, “Train
up a child in the way he is to go,
and even when he is old he will
not depart from it.” (Proverbs
22:6) This is an awesome promise
for us to hold on to. Teaching
and demonstrating biblical
principles and attitudes in the
home is the foundation for godly
living for young and old alike.
The busy lifestyle experienced
by many families day after day
makes finding time to teach difficult.
However the best way to
teach others is first and foremost
done through example. Parents
as role models can demonstrate
how godly principles can
be adhered to even in the most
hectic of times.
Parents as Role Models
It is in the home that we first learn
how to relate to one another. Is
love demonstrated even in the
most difficult circumstances both
without and within the family
unit? When the neighbor’s dog
chews a hole in your fence, how
do you respond? Do you confront
the neighbor in anger, or in
love? Your children are watching
every move that you make.
Do you demonstrate grace to
others and to yourself?
When Josiah breaks a lamp while
playing Frisbee in the house with
the dog, which is a complete
breach of the household rules,
what do you do? Do you lash
out in anger? Do you respond
firmly but gently in love? Loving
parents correct their children, but
not out of anger. They allow their
children to learn the principle of
reaping and sowing by allowing
them to reap the appropriate
correction. Perhaps that is
grounding, or loss of privileges,
as seems appropriate for the age
and maturity of the child.
Children, who learn to respect
the rules, and to respect others,
will grow up to be respectable
and responsible adults. Maintaining
a peaceful household
requires that we teach our children
how to respect others and
themselves. Learning how to
accept responsibility is also a
part of the maturing process. As
parents, we must be diligent to
reinforce both. Bailing out a child
each time he/she has a conflict
does not help the child learn how
to problem solve for themselves.
We need to teach and support
them as they learn to maneuver
through minor conflicts on their
own. Conflict resolution learned
early in life will serve the child
well as he/she grows up to be a
mature adult.
Right Attitudes and Right
Relationships
19 and not holding fast to the
head, from whom the entire
body, being supplied and held
together by the joints and ligaments,
grows with a growth
which is from God. Col. 2:19-20
NAS
This scripture speaks of the body