Some Random Thoughts

After your relationship with Jesus there is nothing more important your relationship with your spouse. The familial relationship is the foundation of human society....always has been and the moment we see the final demolishing of the family we can begin the countdown to the implosion of civilization. But I do not intend to go quietly into the night, and neither should you. Just as we so often hear that we are just one generation away from the downfall of this or the destruction of that I believe that we are just one generation away from turning the tide. The work won’t be easy and it won’t be done quickly but it can be done. And it starts with parents.

First, we must fortify our marriages. I am the product of a broken home, a home that was broken long before my parents separated.  Their relationship set the bar of expectation that I carried with me into adulthood. It was many years and much hurt before I was finally able to overcome that example. Parents, it’s time that we modeled strong marriages based on biblical concepts of respect, dignity, and mutual submission. The stronger examples we give our kids the better our culture will become.

Secondly, we must fortify our homes against the onslaught of a culture that wishes to destroy us. Parents, we must take control of our homes again. Most of us grew up without a cell phone or a tv in our room or unfettered internet access. We turned out all right (for the most part) and I don’t think our children will suffer greatly without all that stuff either.  It’s time that we as parents and adults begin to control the content of what is beamed into our home. Television and the internet are not suitable baby sitters and their life advice stinks. Why don’t we unplug ourselves and our families for a least a short time each day and talk to each other.

Third, we must value our children. Parents, stuff doesn’t equal love. We have the most affluent but morally bankrupt society that the world has ever seen. Our kids don’t need new cars or designer clothes or the best and finest of everything. They need our genuine love, attention, and discipline. Adults are not raised in a vacuum. Our children need our presence, our attention, and our love. They can see when they have been replaced. When we value our kids less than our stuff we are simply creating a generation who don’t know how to value things or people.

The list could go on and on, but I don’t want to pile on you anymore than I have. The purposes of this blog are provoking thought and encourage discussion around the challenge of parenting.

What things would you add to this list?