It is National Family Week. As I write this warm thoughts column, families have traveled from far and near to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. There is more travel over the Thanksgiving weekend than any other time of the year. How wonderful for families to be together and celebrate the family ties. Every day is a day to celebrate the family.

In today's world, there is a concern about the family and their relationships. Peter Marshall once wrote, "We are not willing to risk losing the love in our relationship with our children by persevering with them in matters of discipline, the biggest single cause of the breakdown of the American family is that so much of what we could call love, the Puritans would have another name for...idolatry." Unlike most modern parents, the Puritans knew that their children did not belong to them. They belonged to God. Consequently, they did not possess them. On the contrary, they considered that their children had been entrusted to their care by God. They were to protect them, raise them and teach them, training them up in the way that He would have them go.

Parenthood was sacred responsibility. Arnold H Glass once stated, "The family fireside is the best of schools. Families that are built on love, respect and togetherness, instead of social climbing or the pursuit of successful careers. Our nation's hope for survival. Every joy shared adds more love. Every crisis faced together makes the family stronger."

Think about it, how do strong families provide stability for a nation? Your kindness influences your children, your humor influences your home, your joy influences your actions, your service influences your society. A nation is only as strong as its families. God made us a family. We need one another, we love one another, we forgive one another, we work together, we play together, we worship together together. We use God's Word together. We grow in Christ together. We love all men together. We serve our God together. We hope for heaven.

An unknown writer once stated that, "A happy family is an early heaven." Thank God for our loving and caring, strong families throughout the world. Have a joy filled holiday season!

Warm Thoughts from the Little Home on the Prairie Over a Cup of Tea by Dr. Luetta G. Werner

Published in the Marion Record, December 3rd, 1998

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Till next time,

Trina