Welcome to Day #13 of the 31 Days to Professional Homemaking series. To learn more about this series and to see the list of topics, click HERE. Please know that I am not an expert in marriage, motherhood, or homemaking. I'm just a woman {who happens to be a wife, mother, and homemaker}, trying to figure it all out, by the grace of God. This series is just as much for me as it is for anyone reading.
Before we get started, I'd like to offer you the following button, in case you want to share this series with your readers:
The unofficial theme of this series has been the idea of building your house, based on Proverbs 14:1. We've approached it, figuratively, in the same way that one might approach building a house literally. Today, we're kicking off the final stage of our figurative house-building project: the "Finishing Touches Phase". It's all about the details from here on out; the super practical stuff that will, hopefully, make a difference in how we carry out this whole intentional homemaking thing each and every day.
The first practical tip I can give you is probably the single most important one of this entire phase: INVEST IN YOUR FAMILY. Investing in something means that you devote yourself {your time, talents, and energy} to achieve something. What is that something? Well, if you completed the task of creating a Family Mission Statement, you already have your answer. If you haven't done that yet, I would strongly encourage you to do so, if for no other reason than to serve as a reminder of what you're devoting yourself to. {Note: Reminders like this are priceless when - not if... WHEN - the hard days come.}
Okay, Alana, you said we'd be getting super practical stuff here. Where is it?
Alright, alright... Here we go:
FAMILY MEETINGS
“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing,
but let us encourage one another.”
{Hebrews 10:25}
Do you have regular family meetings? I'll admit that my family and I do not do this yet, as our son is only three-going-on-four years old at the moment. And, yes, I know I could technically plan more formal meetings with my husband, I just... I don't know, I feel silly doing that right now. We communicate pretty well without a formal meeting, for now, but I definitely plan to do this as our son gets older and as, Lord willing, our family grows.
Even though I don't actually do this yet, I am a huge advocate of it. Not only does it provide a way for everyone to "sync" their calendars, it also serves as a way for everyone in the family to feel like they're being heard. Plus, it provides a great way for each member to encourage other family members, as well as be encouraged by their family members.
If you're new to the idea of family meetings, check out these resources to get you started:
FAMILY WORSHIP
"Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
{Josh. 24:14-15}
Most of us know the passage in Deuteronomy 6 {verses 6-9} that talks about teaching our children all of the things that God has commanded us. It tells us to talk about the things of God with our children all the time and to "write them on the doorposts of your house and your gates". But, are we doing that? Are we teaching our children about the Bible? If not, how else will they know that "as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD"?
I'll be the first to admit that I don't teach as often as I should. I mean, I talk about God every now and then, but I don't always take the time to pull my son onto my lap for the purpose of teaching him about the things of God. Luckily, we are now involved in a church that is diligent about teaching families how to hold family worship.
What is family worship? It's basically a chunk of time set aside for your family to come together to read a Bible story or devotion, sing a song or two of praise, share prayer requests and pray, as well as encourage one another.
Never held a family worship session before? Here are some resources that might help:
Seeds Family Worship {Click HERE for a YouTube Video of one of their songs}
FAMILY FUN NIGHTS
"A cheerful disposition is good for your health; gloom and doom leave you bone-tired."
{Proverbs 17:22, The Message}
Thus far, I've described two different types of "meetings": one for planning and the other for worshiping. Both are very important and crucial to family bonding, but they're definitely not the only way you can invest in your family. Sometimes investing in your husband means cooking a meal together. Investing in your kids could mean playing their favorite board game or building a fort of pillows in the living room.
Making time for family fun is so important because it allows our kids to see us acting silly, when so often they see us being, well, adults. Plus, when everyone can act silly together, it proves to be a great stress reliever.
Stuck on the old stand-by of "Family Movie Night"? Want to increase your family fun repertoire? Here are some sites that may help:
Start a Family Writing Club or a Family Book Club
Word Play House - Awesome site for encouraging creativity in your kids.
Lots of ideas at the Creative Family Fun blog.
FamilyFun - An entire website full of inspiring ideas!
FAMILY TRADITIONS
Most of us have things that we remember doing with our family as a kid. Maybe every Easter, your entire family got together for an egg hunt, as everyone scurried about to find the golden egg; which meant money or a larger prize. Maybe each Christmas season brought the promise of an entire afternoon spent elbow-deep in flour and sugar as the smell of cookies filled the house.
But, traditions need not be reserved for holidays. I would encourage every parent to create traditions that celebrate the changing seasons. Maybe you can start a tradition of going on a picnic once a week during the spring and hosting a neighborhood-wide water fight every summer. You could take a family outing to a pumpkin patch every fall and invite friends over for a "hot chocolate social" every winter.
In general, traditions are what we remember most about childhood because they happened over and over and over again. Likewise, no matter what traditions you adopt, your children will always remember them. This is important because it connects a child to his or her family. Planning and carrying out traditions will help to bring your family together and will play a large role in the positive memories that your children will take into adulthood.
Keep in mind, as you plan traditions, to keep it simple. It's not about doing everything there is to do, rather it's about intentionally choosing one or two things per season and another one or two things per holiday that will make the biggest impact.
If you're in need of some inspiration, check out these resources:
Today's Challenge:
Each day, I'll give you a challenge: one small thing you can do to apply each day's topic to your life and your home.
Family meetings, family worship, family fun nights, family traditions... I know it can be a lot to take in, but I pray that the overall point was communicated: INVEST IN YOUR FAMILY. Someway. Somehow. Invest in the people that share life with you on a daily basis. It's so easy to neglect them because we just assume they'll always be there. But, the truth is, they may not be there. And, even if we outlive them, don't we want to leave them without a shadow of a doubt of our love for them.
1. Today's challenge is simple: log off the computer and spend time with your family. But, I encourage you to not fulfill the challenge today and then ignore the challenge in the coming days. Because, those days will turn into months and those months into years. This challenge, as simple as it may be, is a challenge I extend to you, as well as myself, every single day of the year.
2. Part two of your challenge is to plan:
* Schedule your first family meeting. The frequency will depend on your family, though most people suggest once a week. If that seems a little daunting, start with a once-a-month meeting and then, go to every other week. Eventually, fall into a weekly schedule for these meetings. A great time to start would be at the beginning of November {plan the coming holiday season before thecrap pumpkin pie hits the fan - sorry, had to...}.
* Plan to do family worship one night per week. Or, you can do what my family and I are striving for, and make it a part of the bedtime routine: after baths are taken, pj's are on, and teeth are brushed, sit down with Little Man and read a Bible story, sing a song or two, recall a memory verse, etc. If you're familiar with the concept of Circle Time, it's basically the same thing; just at bedtime instead of in the morning.
* Plan a family fun night. If you're children are old enough, ask them to pitch in ideas. Then, pick one! Bonus points if it's something that becomes a family tradition!!
2. Part two of your challenge is to plan:
* Schedule your first family meeting. The frequency will depend on your family, though most people suggest once a week. If that seems a little daunting, start with a once-a-month meeting and then, go to every other week. Eventually, fall into a weekly schedule for these meetings. A great time to start would be at the beginning of November {plan the coming holiday season before the
* Plan to do family worship one night per week. Or, you can do what my family and I are striving for, and make it a part of the bedtime routine: after baths are taken, pj's are on, and teeth are brushed, sit down with Little Man and read a Bible story, sing a song or two, recall a memory verse, etc. If you're familiar with the concept of Circle Time, it's basically the same thing; just at bedtime instead of in the morning.
* Plan a family fun night. If you're children are old enough, ask them to pitch in ideas. Then, pick one! Bonus points if it's something that becomes a family tradition!!
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