GETTING IT ALL TOGETHER - THE HOLISTIC FAMILY


The Family Crisis and What to do About It.

Our families face huge challenges. The money world drives most families without pity. The media promote ideas and experiences not helpful for our mental health. The school culture exposes our kids to smoking, drinking, drugs and sex. Our governments try to tell us how to solve our personal, medical and legal problems.

These huge forces fragment our families. Mom and Dad go out to work in different places. We live in single family dwellings - so relatives and friends live somewhere else. We travel in different cars, busses, with different people to different places. We shop on our own in big malls for stuff each thinks he needs. We are in different worlds with our own computers, cell phones, CDs and DVDs.

In the middle of all this confusion, the family and its relationships are supposed to provide us with our basic securities, belonging and support. The really scary facts of this picture are:

These huge forces do not have the family on their high priority list.

These huge forces are not going to lessen or become more friendly.

Our reliance on schools, churches, employers and governments has failed us.

So, how does our family get it together?

We are not without strengths:

-Our bonds of affection are powerful even when tested.

-Our family has roots in its own culture and values.

-We are the consumers that drive the economy.

-We are the voters politicians die for.

-We control media ratings.

-We have full responsibility for our children.


For our family to become holistic - together and helping - we must:

* Refresh and embed in our families, a new vision of purpose and values.

* Come together regularly to eat, talk, joke and pray.

* Redefine family leadership and member roles.

* Decide how family decisions are made.

* Rediscover family life by shared ideas and actions.

* Form family networks where they can share locally and on internet.


WE MUST STOP EXPECTING SOMEBODY ELSE TO MAKE THE FAMILY BETTER - ONLY THE FAMILY CAN DO THAT FOR ITSELF.


The mission of Eye on the Family is to encourage families to concentrate on themselves - their purposes, values and roles - and in this rise up to THE FAMILY CHALLENGE.

To aid families in this mission, we can go to www.newhopecovenants.org for guidance.

Let’s hear from you. To make your voice heard in THE FAMILY CHALLENGE, click on the "comment" field found below each blog to add your views.