Glenys Shares a Poem and several home and family thoughts

 ‘THE FAMILY TRADITION’
glenys hicks
 

  

            WHEN I THINK OF A PLACE OF JOY AND PEACE,

            MY HEART TURNS STRAIGHT TO HOME,

            THAT HAVEN OF GREAT CONTENTMENT

            THAT BRINGS A COMFORT ALL ITS OWN

            THROUGH THE ENDLESS REPETITION

            THAT MAKES UP OUR DAILY LIVING

            IN THE GREATEST OF ALL JOYS-

            THE FAMILY TRADITION.

 

            FOR THE TRADITIONS THAT OUR FAMILY KEEP,

            HAVE NOW MADE OUR HOUSE OUR HOME,

            AND THE LITTLE THINGS WE ALWAYS DO,

            HAVE BECOME OURS AND OURS ALONE.

            A PEACEFUL HOME’S A HAPPY HOME

            IT’S LIKE A SONG, A BENEDICTION,

            A PLACE TO BE PERPETUATED IN

            THE FAMILY TRADITION.

 

            FAMILY TRADITIONS ARE REALLY QUITE UNIQUE,

            I THINK THEY MUST CERTAINLY BE GOD-GIVEN,

            BORN OF OUR DESIRE FOR UNITY AND LOVE,

            IN A WORLD THAT LACKS LOVE’S VISION.

            FOR FAMILY LIVE IN OUR THOUGHTS,

            BOTH THOSE PASSED ON AND LIVING,

            FOREVER LOCKED IN OUR HEARTS

            THROUGH OUR KEEPING OF

            THE FAMILY TRADITION.

 

            © Glenys Robyn Hicks 2004

                   

 

There Is No Better Place Than Home What image does “home” conjure up in your mind? Most times, it will be a sweet memory, for home is such a strong part of our lives that it etches itself in our heart in an indelible ink that creates a deep longing. Irregardless of whether home was troubled or not, there is always a part of us that finds it is a refuge. It is that place where we can just be ourselves and let our hair down as we unwind. Here we not only rest and recoup from the rages and trials of the world, but it is in and of itself, a place of solace. Many a woman can testify to the way home ministers its comfort to her when she comes home after a day’s shopping or visiting. Or for the working woman, when she comes home from a day’s work. It is not unusual for a woman to come home during her lunch break, taking most of her break up in traveling, yet ministered to so deeply by the comfort of being home that she just spends 10 minutes there before returning to work. There is no sweeter place than home when one is in hospital- the hours pass miserably until those magic words are uttered- “You can go home today!”  Even at the end of a holiday, one is usually more than happy to be going home again- great as the holiday has been, there indeed is no place on earth like your own home! Such is the familiarity of home and its deep comfort to us that often a small child will be distraught when starting kindergarten or school. The separation from home and mother is often traumatic. How good it is that more and more women are home-schooling their children! My husband tells me that there is absolutely nothing quite like coming home after the dog eat dog attitude of the world, and relaxing at home! I do believe home ministers to us in a deep way that no other form of shelter can do! Home is definitely more than a roof and walls. You will find that in a motel. No, home is a place where familiarity, traditions, routines, personal touches, journeying through life under its shelter and some degree of privacy from outside influences, all plays its part in making home the sweetest place on earth. Sadly, the world’s trend is to minimize the comfort of home, where within its sheltering walls life’s lessons are taught and relationships are built and strengthened. Home is the cradle of civilization and its diminished role would prove catastrophic to mankind. Where else does one go for solace, comfort and nurture? What else keeps a soldier from going insane on the battlefield and stops him or her losing all hope- the hope of going home! We Christian women must therefore do all in our power to promote home as the God ordained institution that He intended. There must be a return to home birthing if possible, home schooling, using the home as a ministry by providing a place for believers to meet, hospitality for all, and looking after elderly parents, whilst remembering that home is the soil where Godly seed is planted and where His ways are taught and practiced. Here is where family ties will be strengthened, babies brought up as soldiers of the LORD, and where at least here His Name is spoken of with love and reverence. It is here in the home, that hearts will be moulded for eternity- for both those who live there and those who pass through its doors. Home should be a miniature oasis of order, cleanliness, holiness and peace and purity in a world that is sadly lacking most of these qualities. When God is the foundation of the home as He intended to be, it will be of no importance how grand or plain your home is. The very inbuilt human need for the ministry of the home will carry us through no matter what its condition. As Christian women and keepers of the home, we will be wise in implementing routines for cleaning and maintaining our home both spiritually and physically. We must guard our home zealously from outside unsavoury influences. Peace and holiness should be highly sought after. The homemaker is a servant who is ministering for the LORD as much as any preacher or evangelist- the future of her family and therefore, society does indeed rest in her hands and the results will be eternal. As women are becoming disenchanted with the world's lies for finding fulfillment in a career- and as they start to feel cheated out of the pleasures of motherhood then I believe that in the near future, there will be an uprising of women who catch the vision of homemaker as a servant of not only her family, but the Most High God. My prayer is that it will come sooner rather than later. For our own sake, our family’s sake and ultimately the world’s. © Glenys Robyn Hicks  “He blesses the habitation of the just.” Proverbs 3:33

                   

Give you children a happy childhood The most precious part of a person's life is undoubtedly their childhood. It is in the first 7 years particularly of a child's life that their character is forming. It is in these years that it is most crucial that children have a close relationship to their parents or career. As well as training and learning, a vital part of childhood is playing. This is where what is observed is put into practice. It is important that a child have fun in their life, stability, direction and love. The best thing we can give our child for a happy childhood is a happy marriage, a peaceful home and our loving guidance and attention shown at times in playing with them. This will delight a child no end. The memories of childhood games especially with Mother and Father, will last a life-time. A happy childhood, I believe, prepares a child for adult life and is a once-off- we only have one chance to be a child! I believe that a happy child grows into a confident adult. Life is tackled more confidently than the adult who has had an unhappy childhood. To be denied a happy childhood often makes an adult resentful and can cause some people to be 'Peter Pans' who never grow up. They live life in a constant state of dramas and dependency on their parents or others. Take time to play and read to your children, give them a routine so that they can know what is expected in their lives, and treat them gently and kindly. Expect them to make messes, cry at your discipline, get cranky when tired or sick and even embarrass you sometimes. They are, after all, children. Let them be loved and know it- tell them often. They need to hear it. I have never heard my mother say "I love you"- she just can't seem to show it. It grieves me that I am 53 and have never heard those words from her. I 'know' she loves me, but I would love to hear those words. So from someone who's been there- tell your child often that you love him or her. Childhood is a growing time, physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually.  Make your child's childhood special…let them learn to trust in you and their father and then to learn to trust God.   Helping your family love being home There is no place on earth like home. Here in our sanctuary, we live out our daily lives and let our hair down, becoming who we really are. And sometimes who we are at home can be anything but who we are in public. We all know how to put on the charm when we are in the presence of others. In fact we often cultivate a public persona: those outside the home and family often see that which we wish to be seen as perfect, affable and socially acceptable. But when we finally get home where it's just our husband and children, we often strip off that persona like a mask and relax our standards. Often this is not attractive. I believe that of all places the home should be where we strive to be the sweetest and most loving. To our husband and then to our children. How sad it is when we give our best to those outside the home to the detriment and dismay of our family! For home is where we tend and keep vibrant our most precious relationship after Christ: our marriage! Home is where we bear and bring up the blessings of our marriage, our children! What they and your husband see is speaking volumes to them about how they feel being at home. If home is filled with tension or perpetually in disorder, it will breed an aversion to being there. Often with the mess, untidiness and tension with the screaming of the mother, the crying of the kids, the arguments and so forth, a husband will delay his homecoming because he really isn't all that keen to be there. Home for him is not his castle. He may not even be aware of this avoidance, but I am sure that his wife would be! This can often add to the tension or cause unnecessary problems like alcoholism from too much time with drinking after work, or gambling to wile away the hours until he thinks it may be safe to come home. And yes, these things can happen in a Christian home too! Children and teens are quick to pick up on tension and will often develop a revulsion to being home, preferring to stay at friends' homes until as long as possible, or delaying coming home from school- even making excuses to be missing. This is tragic because it is avoidable. If a home is reasonably clean and organized, if meals are on time, if there is a sense of peace and relaxation and love, I believe the family will delight to be there. As the wife and as the mother, we do indeed set the temper of the home. We can build our house or we can tear it down with our own hands- it is up to us- we can have it either way. By taking reasonable steps to be loving wives, mothers, and good homemakers, we can influence how our family relates to their own home. By providing a relaxing, clean environment with care taken to provide nice wholesome and interesting meals, we can foster a love for the home in our family. By trying to promote a sense of peace in the home with minimal arguments and conflicts, we can create a desire to spend time at home. This is important for home is the cradle of civilization and the first meeting place of God. Don't ever underestimate your influence on your family- you are the heart of the home and the light that lights the path to God through your example. Let's all be someone our family loves to come home to. And let us look afresh at the home and encourage our family to be home with us. The results will be everlasting and will be passed on down the generations. © Glenys Robyn Hicks "He blesses the habitation of the just" Proverbs 3:33