We Are Family ... brother's and Sister's and me.

FPP#8, 18 - This post is all about faith in family life. Our families consist of three dimensions - religious community, religious practices, and religious beliefs. Religious community - There’s an old [African] adage, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Our congregation is the [village] that we have chosen to focus our energies on. . . . When we work with people, it helps us to keep our struggles in a better perspective, and they don’t become a burden, just a part of life. . . ." William, Latter-day Saint father of six (Marks, 2002). How wonderful is the opportunity to serve others, I have found that people find it hard to ask for assistance. To me, this is a form of pride, and we should humble ourselves and allow others to step when we can not do something for ourselves. "Many hands make light work" as the saying goes, this can be done in church callings as home and visiting teachers, and of course families. Working as a ward or family, we can care for the less fortunate, assisting the needy with basic help; this brings happiness to all involved. We forget self and serve as the Master would have us do. Over the years I have participated in painting a house for an elderly couple along with other priesthood brethren. Helping people move, visiting a sick little girl in the middle of the night in the hospital. Other things like shopping, assisting families with there kids when the mother is giving birth to a new addition to the family, the list goes on, In fact, my family has been personally blessed with meals throughout the week when our youngest daughter was born. Working full-time and keeping it all together, led me to buy takeaway food (an unneeded expense). I was so grateful for the Relief Society sisters in our ward who provided simple home-cooked meals. All I had to do was heat and serve. Our village indeed came in and helped. Religious practices - "Praying together as a family and reading the scriptures . . . Together is probably the best [thing we do to pull us toward Heavenly Father and each other]. . . . It feels right. It feels good . . . I’m grateful to . . . Be able to do that. If the family that I grew up with ever would have done that . . . It would have been a fond memory that I would have held, but we never did. [Our family now] should pray more, but when we kneel together and hold hands as a family, it brings the Spirit in[to our home] and makes the children feel right . . . And [teaches them] that this is what they need to do with their families—and I’m sure they’ll remember it. It’s special" (Marks, 2002, p. 81). —Shana, Latter-day Saint mother. I'd like to add my testimony of family prayer, F.H.E. family home evening, scripture study, and family council. I admit my family, especially me is not perfect. I think we have more dysfunctional moments on a daily basis than is needful. However, we love each other and love the Savior. Through family prayer, F.H.E. family home evening, scripture study, and family council. We have the environment to apologize and say "I sorry." We also get to celebrate the good things that happen in the home. When someone is getting an award, or there is a special event. Never give up, and stay true to the covenanted relationship sealed in the holy temple. With the Lord's help,, we have navigated through trials and adversity that I never dreamed would happen to us. I am forever grateful to a loving Heavenly Father. Religious beliefs —Joseph, a non-denominational Christian father says, "There’s something that . . . when as a family your hearts are pointed together toward the same thing, and it’s God, then parenting and economics and space and food and disagreements and hassles and joys and celebrations and all that other stuff . . . It works differently; it seems different, it feels different. . . . Our family is all oriented in the same way. Christ is king; He’s the center, He’s what it’s all about. . . . Our faith informs our relationships and everything about us." (Marks, 2003). Religious beliefs have a close relationship with religious practices. The combination of the two is like "super glue" in the spiritual bonding of eternal truths with the family. President David O. Mckay taught "No other success can compensate for failure in the home."Click here for video.

I have heard it taught that the home is the Lord's laboratory. We've been commanded to teach our children and that the home is the best place to do this. I promise that this is a "faith based work" and you will succeed. Read, learn and do your best, enjoy the journey, and involve the Lord. Learn to say "I am sorry" even if you are not in the wrong. Repent, Reset and Recover. Put the Lord first in your life and your family and in time you will see success! The is power in temple marriages, the Lord promise us our children will not be lost. The saving power of temple covenants.

Activity - Plan future family home evenings and discuss each family members role within your family. Schedule family scripture study and prayer. If you're doing this already discuss how you can do this better with "real intent."

References

Marks, L. D., & Dollahite, D. C., & Jacob Freeman, J. H., (2016). Parenting with love, limitations, and latitudes: proclamation principles and supportive scholarship. In Hawkins, A. J., & Dollahite, D. C., & Draper, T. W., (Eds.), Success marriages and families – proclamation principles and research perspectives. pp. 103-117. Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University