My husband and I were recently  blessed to be able to  attend a Voddie Bauchum conference and hear him speak on multi-generational faithfulness. He taught us about  how family worship can help us to raise up Godly children who will grow and do the same for their children all for the glory and kingdom of God.  At church this past Sunday our Pastor also spoke about Family Worship.  He quoted from President Truman saying “The buck stops here” meaning that the dad should take the lead in this area.  I thought I’d share some of what we have done in our family and what we have learned.

*Family Worship Begins with the Head of the Household. This must be born of conviction, not of guilt or coercion.  However, this is not to say that the Mom should never lead family worship.

*Family Worship must be Scheduled in order to have it become a regular practice.

*Family Worship must be Simple. It does not need to be a big production but just a commitment to gather together with the Word of God.

*Family Worship must be Natural.  Just be you.  God sent your children to you and you are the perfect person to lead.

*Family Worship must be Mandatory.  No one gets to skip.

*Family Worship must be Participatory. Invite your children to join in singing, reading discussing and praying.  Read more...

My dear Daddy was born in Massachusetts in 1924.  I’m missing him today as I celebrate Father’s Day with my children and husband.  I’m remembering things about him on this day that are not only unique to him but also to his generation.  I’m sad that the men from the era of the great depression, and  WWII are mostly gone now. The difficult years that they endured, the simple living without the conveniences we have today, and  the poverty that many knew,  carved out a different sort of man. Perhaps a simpler man….not a “renaissance” man for sure, but a strong, wise and more masculine man.  A “get-‘er-done” sort of guy.   I’m grieving this loss today.  I don’t want them to go….I like the way they talk,  I like their values for the most part,  and wish I could keep their stories alive.  I don’t even mind if they smoke a cigarette or two  as they recall their stories.  Perhaps that’s because my dad always had a cigarette in his hands when he talked to us children.

My Dad worked hard and seldom missed a day from his job even if he was ill. His strong work ethic probably came from the fact that having a job was considered a blessing rather than a curse. He never believed in welfare and considered it a shameful thing for an able bodied man to accept.  He grew up in a poor family with 6 children and no father.  He worked for Western Union as a boy delivering telegrams, he worked in factories, he studied chemistry and then became a plater at Cambridge Plating Company and even had his own business for a while.  He was a bugle player for the United States Marine Corps.  My Dad and Mom were married over 50 years, raised 5 children and did the best they could with what they knew.  Read more...