Family Tree

My son’s Language Arts teacher has done away with book reports in favour of independent reading. In order to help students use their language skills, she assigned a 24-page scrapbook, with one page due every couple of days. Each page includes pictures, drawings, and/or diagrams along with written paragraphs – each page addresses a different subject about his life. They are graded on content and structure.

Today, the scrapbook page assignment was about families. He had to include photos and write a descriptive sentence on each family member, including grandparents, ending with a paragraph on why families are important. Here’s an excerpt:

Your family is your example. There is no bigger influence on your life than your mom and dad. Having a good relationship with your family members is important because they’re the ones that you are around all of the time. If you have a crumby* relationship with your family, sometimes that can carry into your life, and you’ll be depressed. If you have a good relationship, you know that you always have someone to talk to.

Then I open my Neil Anderson devotional for the day and it’s on the same subject.

God works in our lives primarily through committed relationships. Your family is the primary laboratory for your character development. This is precisely the order of Scripture: Establish your identity in Christ, then focus on living out who you are at home. Notice the order in Colossians 3:10-25.

As a parent, you are not just shaping your child's behavior, you are developing his character. Training a child means discipling him to be Christ-like. Don't be a phony at home; your spouse and children will see right through it. You can't model perfection, but you can model growth.**

I guess I better go make lunches for tomorrow. That would be growth.

*Yes, he spelled it like that intentionally
**From Daily In Christ