"I make our family
traditions a priority.” Martina McBride
One
of the highlights of my childhood years was going rabbit hunting at my
grandparents’ farm in South Georgia. In his book, Uncle Remus, Atlanta
writer, Joel Chandler Harris, writes about rabbits living in briar patches. It’s
accurate and why we’d hire someone to bring dogs to chase rabbits out of the briars
which were very thick, often growing waste high.
I’d stand with my grandfather, PaPa, who waited with his shotgun for a rabbit to run across the grassy road. Other hunters were trying to keep up with the dogs. I loved it! It was exciting to be in the woods with my dad, brothers, Mike and Mark, grandfather, and my Uncle Harold, who was an unforgettable character with a sense of humor that was as big as he was.
We didn’t have a lot of traditions in my family yet the ones we had have stayed with me through the decades, like going to Ormond Beach each summer. We’d play in the ocean in the morning after a breakfast of cold cereal out of mini-cereal boxes, sandwiches for lunch and then so my mom didn’t have to cook, we’d go to a local cafeteria for dinner every night.
Jane’s family had more traditions. One that I loved, and we still continue was on Christmas morning. Every year no gifts were opened until Dad Quick read the Christmas story from Luke 2. It was wonderful!
There’s something powerful and positive about family traditions. Jane and I tried to have some when our children were growing up. Yet, to be honest, because of growing up in a family with substance abuse issues, there were many things about family I just didn’t know. For children growing up where there is addiction, staying out of the crosshairs of rage is a priority.
Jane and I did many of the same things each year, yet they weren’t as purposeful, looking back as I would choose now. Then, when you grow up in a family without a biblical worldview, there is so much you’re working to learn because you never saw it modeled.
Kent and Barbara Hughes wonderful book, Common Sense Parenting, that’s been reprinted with the title, The Disciplines of a Godly Family, was the first time that I had heard of having purposeful godly family traditions. Unfortunately, we did more by accident than planned, at least on my part.
Yet, it’s never too late to begin. Some of you may have just returned from a dysfunctional family gathering over Thanksgiving or observed destructive patterns in the families of some of your loved ones. If you’ve grown up in a destructive family tradition, you might feel negative or despondent about it. All of us are a product, to a significant degree, of the way we were brought up. God’s Word teaches that there’s always hope! You can change the past path and set a new course from what you had even with your children when they were growing up. You can do it now or with your grandchildren. It’s never too late to move forward to honor the Lord.
One of the myths of American culture is that family events must be big and expensive to be significant. Children have no concept of costs. They’re aware of love, joy and a sense of harmony. Every parent has discovered to their chagrin after purchasing a big ticket, must have gift for a child at Christmas, that it’s all too quickly discarded for the next novelty. The things which have lasting significance can’t be purchased. Consistent and simple is more important than a one-time big bang. This is also one of the blessings of a church family. Some of us have learned from our mistakes (yes, that’s my hand up in the back) or grew up in a godly home. So, interact with others, share your past, ask lots of questions, get input. None of us have it all together. We’re all works in progress of His great grace!
Birthdays and Holidays. As children thrive with daily consistency, patterns and consistency for birthdays and holidays give them a sense of security. Creativity and some imagination go further than spending lots of money. In my opinion a backyard party where children play and interact with other children and adults has more value than the bells, whistles and noise of say a Chuck E. Cheese. A friend once referred to Chuck E. Cheese as a “kid casino.” He may have been on to something.
A downstairs playroom accomplishes the same thing. And if you’re part of the Grace Church family, our gym and building is available to you. We have so much sports equipment at church and there are countless Nerf guns and other fun items. It’s yours to use!
On holidays being with loving grandparents and extended family gives a child roots. There’s something about those family recipes, sitting together at a large family table or sitting with your cousins at the “kids’ table” that gives us precious memories. I’m not a big sports fan, yet there’s something special about gathering with the family to watch the big game or play games or just laughing at the same old stories until you’re crying.
If your situation isn’t healthy or healthy for your children, limit it. Learn to be a good “leaver.” When I know that at a party or event alcohol will be consumed, I leave before those I care about become intoxicated. I don’t want a friend or family member to be embarrassed or feel they need to apologize for something said or done when they were under the influence.
Vacations. Visiting with distant parents/grandparents has some benefits yet it limits special times that you can have with your own children. When our children were young because of limited finances, we often would have to stay with relatives for vacation. We had a tradition though that right after Christmas we’d drive to a hotel within about three hours. One year all of us were armed with laser tag gun sets and battled throughout the hotel…and they didn’t kick us out lol.
There are benefits of returning to the same place if you can periodically. Rather than having to learn about the location, you can focus more on learning about each other. Yet, we also made fantastic memories visiting some great sites in our country like Washington, D.C. or Yellowstone.
In the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament, you’ll find that God gave His people several special days. It helped them to know God better and gave them spiritual memories.
Traditions are important for a healthy family. As we move into 2024, prayerfully look for some that you can start or determine to continue!
I’d stand with my grandfather, PaPa, who waited with his shotgun for a rabbit to run across the grassy road. Other hunters were trying to keep up with the dogs. I loved it! It was exciting to be in the woods with my dad, brothers, Mike and Mark, grandfather, and my Uncle Harold, who was an unforgettable character with a sense of humor that was as big as he was.
We didn’t have a lot of traditions in my family yet the ones we had have stayed with me through the decades, like going to Ormond Beach each summer. We’d play in the ocean in the morning after a breakfast of cold cereal out of mini-cereal boxes, sandwiches for lunch and then so my mom didn’t have to cook, we’d go to a local cafeteria for dinner every night.
Jane’s family had more traditions. One that I loved, and we still continue was on Christmas morning. Every year no gifts were opened until Dad Quick read the Christmas story from Luke 2. It was wonderful!
There’s something powerful and positive about family traditions. Jane and I tried to have some when our children were growing up. Yet, to be honest, because of growing up in a family with substance abuse issues, there were many things about family I just didn’t know. For children growing up where there is addiction, staying out of the crosshairs of rage is a priority.
Jane and I did many of the same things each year, yet they weren’t as purposeful, looking back as I would choose now. Then, when you grow up in a family without a biblical worldview, there is so much you’re working to learn because you never saw it modeled.
Kent and Barbara Hughes wonderful book, Common Sense Parenting, that’s been reprinted with the title, The Disciplines of a Godly Family, was the first time that I had heard of having purposeful godly family traditions. Unfortunately, we did more by accident than planned, at least on my part.
Yet, it’s never too late to begin. Some of you may have just returned from a dysfunctional family gathering over Thanksgiving or observed destructive patterns in the families of some of your loved ones. If you’ve grown up in a destructive family tradition, you might feel negative or despondent about it. All of us are a product, to a significant degree, of the way we were brought up. God’s Word teaches that there’s always hope! You can change the past path and set a new course from what you had even with your children when they were growing up. You can do it now or with your grandchildren. It’s never too late to move forward to honor the Lord.
One of the myths of American culture is that family events must be big and expensive to be significant. Children have no concept of costs. They’re aware of love, joy and a sense of harmony. Every parent has discovered to their chagrin after purchasing a big ticket, must have gift for a child at Christmas, that it’s all too quickly discarded for the next novelty. The things which have lasting significance can’t be purchased. Consistent and simple is more important than a one-time big bang. This is also one of the blessings of a church family. Some of us have learned from our mistakes (yes, that’s my hand up in the back) or grew up in a godly home. So, interact with others, share your past, ask lots of questions, get input. None of us have it all together. We’re all works in progress of His great grace!
Birthdays and Holidays. As children thrive with daily consistency, patterns and consistency for birthdays and holidays give them a sense of security. Creativity and some imagination go further than spending lots of money. In my opinion a backyard party where children play and interact with other children and adults has more value than the bells, whistles and noise of say a Chuck E. Cheese. A friend once referred to Chuck E. Cheese as a “kid casino.” He may have been on to something.
A downstairs playroom accomplishes the same thing. And if you’re part of the Grace Church family, our gym and building is available to you. We have so much sports equipment at church and there are countless Nerf guns and other fun items. It’s yours to use!
On holidays being with loving grandparents and extended family gives a child roots. There’s something about those family recipes, sitting together at a large family table or sitting with your cousins at the “kids’ table” that gives us precious memories. I’m not a big sports fan, yet there’s something special about gathering with the family to watch the big game or play games or just laughing at the same old stories until you’re crying.
If your situation isn’t healthy or healthy for your children, limit it. Learn to be a good “leaver.” When I know that at a party or event alcohol will be consumed, I leave before those I care about become intoxicated. I don’t want a friend or family member to be embarrassed or feel they need to apologize for something said or done when they were under the influence.
Vacations. Visiting with distant parents/grandparents has some benefits yet it limits special times that you can have with your own children. When our children were young because of limited finances, we often would have to stay with relatives for vacation. We had a tradition though that right after Christmas we’d drive to a hotel within about three hours. One year all of us were armed with laser tag gun sets and battled throughout the hotel…and they didn’t kick us out lol.
There are benefits of returning to the same place if you can periodically. Rather than having to learn about the location, you can focus more on learning about each other. Yet, we also made fantastic memories visiting some great sites in our country like Washington, D.C. or Yellowstone.
In the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament, you’ll find that God gave His people several special days. It helped them to know God better and gave them spiritual memories.
Traditions are important for a healthy family. As we move into 2024, prayerfully look for some that you can start or determine to continue!
Can
we help you spiritually? Please check out more resources on our church's web
page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more
about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus
changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org
to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address.
Amen!
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