WHAT MAKES THIS FAMILY SO GREAT?


Mostly we learn by our mistakes. Sometimes, we learn by seeing someone do it right. Here’s a family that does it right:

The parents are fifty, have known each other 35 years and married 25 years. They have two sons.

These folks are very fortunate members of a close community of families that have deep roots. Church is the base of this community - a church that practices its faith in many forms of service to others.

This couple and their sons have been raised in this tightly knit culture. Mutual respect and support binds this family with the other family members, young and old. They have maintained this closeness despite the great social changes of the past 100 years. Yet they have done it quietly with little public awareness of this special world.

All family members are employed in some form of community service. There is a strong family tradition of shared community service projects. They seem to offer unlimited hospitality and respect for others.

What are the lessons for us from this family?

1. They are members of an extended family network with deep roots in the church, family and community.

2. There is a strong common faith which is continually shared and debated.

3. They have a two-fold mission of raising believing, serving families and reaching the needy in society.

4. There seems to be no limit to their practical, spontaneous charity.

5. This is an energetic family that is highly disciplined in their use of time, health practices, study and worship.

6. The fabric of this family is interwoven with music, good humour and openness.


So What about the rest of us?

We could doubt this,

Or, we could go find a family like this,

Or, we could be one.

For any of this, we need to make choices and set goals. To aid us, we can go to www.newhopecovenants.org for guidance.

Please join in our discussions of THE FAMILY CHALLENGE, we are all a part of it.