We’ve all been there. Not wanting to be ungrateful for the good in your life—yet you can’t deny the sense that there is something so much better. You can feel it—dream of it.
Or perhaps you’ve stopped dreaming. You’ve simply accepted your current condition as the way it’s going to be: your standard of living; your marriage; your job; your level of health.
In either case, you’re right.
One child just gets over a bad cold and another starts. Recurring ear infections. Chronic coughs. Stomach viruses. Although dealing with one health problem after another seems to be an ongoing battle in most families, that doesn’t have to be the norm. The human body was created with far more capacity to ward off everyday infections if given what it needs.
Courtesy 123RF/Kaspars Grinvalds
The body’s immune system, when operating as designed, will curtail everyday viruses and bad bacteria. But so much of our Western lifestyle works against our defense system.
Traditions. They are a part of what makes your family unique. They are the things kids want to do over and over. They give stability to the family. They are the glue that holds the family together. They are the way your children pass on your legacy from generation to generation.
Summer Day In Winter
When we first got married, I had a deep desire to start traditions for my family. I grew up experiencing some Christmas traditions with my family of origin, but I wanted to expand that. I wanted lots of traditions, and sought to include activities that would mark special events throughout the year. Ways of celebrating that would be unique to the Andersen family. Traditions that could be repeated from year to year.
Raising a family is hard work. It’s not a weekend project. It’s years of diaper changing, potty training, cooking, laundry, helping with homework, music lessons and ball games, boy friend/girl friend drama. That’s all happening while trying to earn a living.
Andersen Thanksgiving 2015
Add to that regular one-on-one time with kids, finding time to date your spouse, having regular weekly family times. Then throw in birthday parties, family vacations, and holidays. Sheesh.
Thank you! No, I mean it…thank you!
You’re not even sure what I’m thanking you for—but you’ll have to admit the words sound good!
Courtesy 123RF/gajus
We’ve got the Thanksgiving holiday coming so this is a good time to talk about the power of a thankful attitude and its expression.
We’ve all done it. Rushed through our day, pushed ourselves further than we should, and looked so forward to getting the kids in bed so we can have some peace and quiet.
But is that really what we want to do?
Courtesy 123RF/Cathy Yeulet
Do we intend on shuttling our kids through their day and then at bedtime just popping them in bed with a quick kiss?
Our family loves the Thanksgiving and Christmas season. It’s filled with Andersen family memories and traditions. And we’ve got a bunch of them. I’m often saddened when I realize how many families have missed out on all that traditions can add to family spirit and culture.
Courtesy 123RF/antikainen
Some traditions are common to many; e.g., Thanksgiving turkey or Christmas trees. Some are handed down for generations. Others start with something unexpected yet are significant enough to be repeated.
“What recipes do you use?” It’s a question Gail and I are asked several times a week. Once people hear we’ve made the choices we’ve made in our eating, they want to know our recipes. Our response is usually a paradigm shifter.
It’s not that we don’t have recipes—we do have some favorites. It’s just that we don’t use many. Instead, we do more of what we call “food combining.”
Just the thought of taking a road trip anywhere with a big family can be overwhelming. A roundtrip drive of several hours or more in the car each way is a big enough deal—add a carload of little ones to perhaps a full day of travel and you’ve got a “Serenity now!” moment!
Courtesy 123RF/Tatiana kostareva
Obviously these trips will require a lot of flexibility, planning, and sheer motivation. But once you get past the initial thought of all being locked in a moving vehicle with each other for an extended period of time, it can actually be a fun experience for the family.
Stephen Covey made the metaphor of “sharpening the saw” famous in 1989 with his bestseller, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Habit #7 is: Sharpen the saw—principles of balanced self-renewal.
But Covey didn’t create the principle—it’s Bible. It’s a timeless principle for all of us.
If the axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success.
Ecclesiastes 10:10
