To The New Year - Family (Part 5 of 7)

There are a lot of things families can do as traditions. I follow a blog called The Art of Manliness it's one of my very favorite blogs. I probably read more articles from them, than any other blog. They have several fun articles about traditions that I had to add them on this series.

Family
- Yearly Form -
This can be especially fun if you have younger kiddoes! Simply make a form that asks for their name, date, and things that will show their growth as they get older. Such as: favorite color, favorite song, favorite Bible verse, favorite sports team, favorite animal, best friend, height, favorite thing to do, etc.

Then put their forms into your families "New Year" (or the name you give it! after all, it's YOUR binder!) binder, so that in future years you can look back over the growth you've all had.

- Be more patient with relatives -
So, when I asked people about "New Year's Day" resolutions, I got a surprising amount about working on being more sociable with their relatives. Coming from a pretty close knit family, it's sad to me that so many need to have this as their resolution…BUT…I will say, I know what it's like to have rougher relationships, and work on fixing them or risk losing them.

Relationships take investment, if you are unwilling to invest, chances are they won't try either.

Christian, here is the deal.

If you are related by blood….honor your father and mother (even if you've got a bad relationship).

Mark 7:10

"For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’"

Matthew 15:4

"For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’"

Ephesians 6:1-2

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise),"

If you haven't seen this person in years…love your neighbor as yourself.

Galatians 5:14-15

"For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another."

James 2:8-9

"If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors."

Romans 13:9

"For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”"

If you hate their guts…love them anyways, show them that Jesus transforms people, and give mercy as you have been given mercy.

Matthew 5:43-45

"“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust."

Luke 6:35

"But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil."

If they are a Christian…love them as Jesus Christ loves them.

John 13:34

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another."

- More Family Less Tech -
My generation seems engrossed with discovering how many screens can captivate our attention per day. Even myself, I can be "watching" (just listening) to the TV, texting a friend, and typing up an email…that is THREE screens going at once. That may sound like a lot, and I guess it is, but it is nothing to what happens when my brother is working on his music…he says "I'd like to have at least a quad set up." That is he would like to have at least 4 computer screens for his music work alone! Not to mention another screen as his phone.

So, if you have too many screens in your life, and not enough IRL interaction maybe try some of these:
- unplug for one day a week,
- at home put your phone on your dresser or in a drawer,
- leave your phone at home when you go to church or on a date,
- turn the WiFi off after 7 pm,
- unplug while on vacation/during holidays,

- Spend time Outdoors -
I love to be outside! I love to go hiking, walking, try my hand at almost dying while attempting parkour…
But adventure does a body good! This past summer I jumped off a 27' waterfall! (and I didn't die!)

So take time to go camping with your family, or do something outside with your college group. Just get outside and do something fun and soak up some vitamin D.

Matthew 22:34-40

"But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together.

And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him.

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”

And he said to him,

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

This is the great and first commandment.

And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”"