Heart Reflections Live

Do you ever tire of running from one activity to the next? Does John need to be dropped off at sports practice, just after Jane finishes her piano lessons? And, Oh! Didn't you promise to meet the girls for coffee at the shops? Do you ever feel like you live in the car, and home is merely a pit-stop?

There is a solution! Home-Centred Living! Is it boring? NO!! And we enjoy ourselves without the aid of Pay TV (Cable), or an X-Box!

Home-Centred Living is by simple definition, living so that home & Family are central. It's a lifestyle choice, an old-fashioned way to live, & I believe that some who read my blog will already be living this way. For us, it's a very God-centred way to live; as the family is in fact the first "form of Government" (for want of a better phrase) instituted by God. Families make up Churches and communites, so the better we get on with one another at home, the better equipped our family team will be to reach out to others,and build strong communities.

What Do WE do at home?

1 . We pray & eat together at the family meal table, most of the time & enjoy extending hospitality,

2.We enjoy the garden.Daddy is teaching the girls spiritual principles in the outdoors, & also instilling a love of God's Creation,

3.We read, & read & read! Family read-a-louds are overtaking the popularity of the TV. We are also always building our home library, searching 2nd-hand shops, garage sales etc for classic treasures. (Old is good!)

4. We have a cupboard full of board-games & jig-saw puzzles. I believe these will get used more & more as our children get older.

5.We collect wholesome DVD's & Videos eg. Anne of Green Gables, Pollyanna, Bambi etc-Anything consistant with Phil. 4:8. One of the girls' favourite things to do with me at the moment is to sit and watch old Shirley Temple clips on You Tube- better than Britney Spears any day.

6. We teach our children some of their heritage, as we have family photos going back 5 generations.

7. The children have a playroom of mainly 2nd hand toys & craft stuff, we've collected to stimulate their imaginations.

8.The children learn how a home runs, by being in it most of the time. They don't take things for granted.

9. Cooking with Mummy & licking the bowl. Old-fashioned pleasures reign supreme here!!

10. Instead of coffee with the girls, I prefer to extend hospitality at home. The peacefulness of home always wins out over a noisy shopping mall. It's cheaper too- imagine the fuel money you'll save by going out less.

2 ideas on developing your child's talents, without running all over the countryside:

a) In-house Lessons See if your local music teacher will teach in your own home.

b)School If you have children in school, they may be able to learn sport or music through school, with a lunch-time commitment, or maybe by getting there a little earlier or staying a little later-it all saves running around.

Don't forget to encourage your children to contribute their talents to family life & Christian Ministry & to do all things for the glory of God.

These are just some ideas to get you going- every family is different.Maybe staying home more will help you save for a special family outing.

I can't stress enough the importance of home. Memories of home stay with you for life. You take them with you when you leave, and they can influence for good or evil, the homes, families & communities of the next generation.

Labels: activites, family, staying home