Our Family Forte

The "Family" unit is brutally being attacked, especially in North America. I don't need published stats to tell me this. I witness it first hand even with the families or "partial" families I come in contact with everyday. It's more of the norm for our children to have divorced parents/single parents or parents that don't spend a lot of time together.

The enemy has moved rather rapidly to cause havoc and severely disconnect the family unit I would say in even less than 2 generations. I see it unravelling so very fast.

Now having a new family unit, both Roger and I realize the severity of this fight to keep the unit together, especially when society and the culture around us all is so polluted to strain for the opposite.

Roger is truly a God fearing man. His love of God is his most attractive quality to me. It brings me JOY, to honor, respect and love him as a result. The love of God flows through Him and teaches Him how to love me too, and it is a beautiful reciprocal selfless love that overflows and passes through us.

I say this because it is so pivotal to the well being of our children when marriages are strong. Foundations for our children become carefree when their parents' relationships are rock solid.

For Easter our home was overflowing from the Thurs night to the Easter Monday. I mean overflowing, 24X7 with out of town guests, entire families, even dear friends, etc. Even our family members who know us and the children well, can't believe how well they have adjusted to each other and truly love and respect on another. They are shocked at how quickly this transition has happened and how rock solid it seems to be, despite the hard ages of 12, 13 and a 14 year old.

We simply know and proclaim it is God's leading and prompting that holds us together and leads us in all things to provide an environment that flourishes. It's "THE COUNSELOR" (John 16:7)

We have instituted "Family Meetings", in the evenings with dessert in which everyone talks of their personal highs and lows of the day. They so look forward to these!

Roger tries to make breakfast almost every morning and I do my best to have a sit down candle lit, homemade, dinner at least 4 or 5 nights a week. YES... I know the time allocated to such a venture is insane.... BUT we have agreed that we will not conform to the pattern of the world that declares convenience is better, and there is no time. That way leaves us isolated, cheaply nourished and disconnected.

The fellowship we have during these meals, without the TV on, but rather listening and genuinely sharing in the lives of each other to EACH of us has become priceless to each of us. We laugh and we cry, we respect and we love, we vent and we regroup...but we remain united and what a blessing this is.

On Thurs night Roger came home and this is what he walked into: Our house was beautifully manicured outside to be matched by a clean home inside. The aroma was that of a homemade roast. Daniel was on the couch reading his newly purchased book on the History of Rome. Alyssa and Brea were together working on baking Nanimo bars. All homework was done. The table was radiantly set, with candles, worship music was playing in the background softly and I was around the corner, still dressed in my business suit but folding clothes in the laundry room. Right before this we'd had some logistical hiccups with pick ups and drop offs from Dance, School, work, etc..etc... but we worked through it together to get everyone in our home together. I can hear my husband's steps quicken as he walks to find me and embraces me with all he has, mouth included, to declare in a loud voice to the whole family, "Now as if this isn't every man's dream to come home to?!?!" And he was actually the one that went through each of these observations that I hadn't even thought of, but I must say how much it blessed all of us to see the joy it brought Dad/Roger in honoring and loving the head of our home even unknowingly.

After we literally laughed for 5 minutes, hard (in the picture that we were like the Cleavers in that moment, lol!) we both later thankfully testified to how God has lead us with our family to find joy and blessing in these times. When a woman feels so loved, it truly is her joy to give and honor her husband in everything.

It reminded me of Ps 128 in which the promises to a God fearing man.
Psalm 128
1 Blessed(Happy) are all who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways.
2 You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table.
4 Thus is the man blessed who fears the LORD.

This Psalm has become a reality to us now. I know many of you don't see the extreme devotion Roger has to our Lord, but I testify to it. What great joy it brings my heart to lie in bed with my husband on our weekend and study scripture together, and pray together with no time frame. Our desire is to KNOW Him to grow in Him.

What honor it brings me and our Lord, when we enter a PG movie this Friday night, but when a scene with women dressed scantily in a bar, Roger's head drops to not look and Brea turns away. Then he looks to me and says, "Do you want to leave?" So here we are in the middle of the theatre and as a family, despite not getting money back, CHOSE to protect OUR pure minds and hearts and our childrens' by being filled with unnecessary images and quietly excuse ourselves. What a statement we make quietly to our own children, to the rest of the theatre and most importantly to our Lord in desiring the most fulfilled and protected marriage and family life.

It was Roger, the head of our home, that lead in this devotion to which I am smitten. :) When we honor God we honor one another, for His ways desire what is best for each other. It's the enemy that lies to us on this, but God's ways are RIGHT and JUST and desire to give us the best in all things. He has overly blessed our intimacy but it is with protective ways that we chose to guard it from the enemy.

We will continue to learn and make mistakes, but I must say HIS Spirit within us is our greatest treasure. It overflows to all areas of our lives, when we listen and obey.

I share a few of many moments, vulnerably with you in that you too would be encouraged to listen to His Spirit to rise up and out of conformity of polluted relationships to fight for what is good and right. Yes it may mean giving up some extra time and making some sacrifices but without showing that how will the other know they are valued and loved? By what you say??? Come on... actions shall always speak louder than words.

So with I'll refrain from TELLING my family "I love them" as I know they'll be checking up on my writing here... LOL!! but rather I'll SHOW them.

Together we shall stand for FAMILY.

Mother to 3, Wife to 1.
Daughter of God.

Carrie