A Message from Jaci, Director of Children’s Ministry
Kevin and I, our grandson, our 3 children, and their significant others just got back from a family vacation. I must admit that this is only the fourth time this has ever happened in the life of our family. So, when planning this trip, we asked everyone what they wanted to do, their answer…. “just be together.” Even at their ages that is what they long for, time set apart to be together away from their jobs, work at home, activities. I can’t tell you what a blessing it was to have time away, together as a family. To see how God is working in their lives and the lives of those around them.
The fast pace of modern-day family life can make it easy to forget that simply just spending time with our children is important and wanted. Family activities do not have to be expensive trips to be meaningful, the important part is just being together. You could go for a bike ride or play a game together. Just about everything in our culture and our calendars seems to pull the family apart. Carving out space to be together as a family, uninterrupted by sports and schedules and familiar surroundings, gives us an opportunity connect again, enjoy each other’s company, and take our relationships to a deeper level. It offers the opportunity to teach, supervise, model, listen, laugh, pray, grieve, relax, discipline, explore, grow, and challenge, all in the safe setting provided by the presence of one’s family.
Deuteronomy 6 reminds us as parents that we are called to impress the hearts of our children with a love for God, teaching them diligently through everyday living —“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. (Deut. 6:5-7 ESV)
