Our priorities should be God first followed by God-centric self-care, family care, and then service. Family closeness and communication need to come before ministry, service, and the support of others. When we mix this up, everyone suffers. The following family living tips come from busy Christian speakers who walk the talk of putting family first.
An Invitation to Mama's
It is tough in these times to bring the family together. As a full-time speaker, I miss a lot of weekend family get-togethers. My husband and I began FAMILY FEED on Thursday nights and IT WORKED! I cook all the food and invite the family for dinner. It is a great way to bring the family back to the dinner table in a world that tells them they are too busy. Make it easy, make it fun, make it positive! Then sit back and watch as they look forward to dinner at Mama's house again.
Help Clean It Up
Our culture values independence, yet God created us for connection. Set the stage for an,” All for one and one for all” atmosphere. This can begin with toddlers and translate into all ages and stages. Speak three simple statements when a spill occurs. “That’s OK. Everybody spills. I’ll help you clean it up.” 1) That’s OK. This statement communicates calm in the mess.2) Everybody spills. Normalize the mistake and prevent spillage shame. 3) I’ll help you clean it up. Responsibility and relationship are both valued. Your loved ones understand you will come alongside them in life’s messes. Interdependence combined with responsibility is for families who want a relationship that lasts a lifetime.
Transition with Grace
My kids are now adults and my heart really desires to be close to them in this next season as I transition away from mothering to simply being Mom. I have decided a few things are going to be critical to having great relationships. #1. I must realize that while my kids brought me so much joy they are not responsible for my joy going forward. #2. I must decide to be a blessing. That's it. #3. I must accept that it's their turn. Their turn to make traditions and memories with their spouses and children. We had our turn. It is now their turn. We can make this transition be a good one, moms!
Step-by-Step for Stepfamilies
Stepfamilies, step living...it's step up, step over, step back, and all with baby steps! My remarriage was into a stepfamily and boy, what an eye-opener! I am the first-born of six, mom of two grown sons, babysitter, Youth Director, speaker, and middle school volunteer….plenty of experience. But when a 12-year-old bonus daughter was added to the mix, I felt alone and crazy. Little did I know how normal my step-life was. My pearls to share are: a) Have a sense of humor. b) Be flexible with schedules. c) Let a lot bounce off. d) Love for a spouse is "different", not "more than" for the children.
