Yes, I know there are loads of obstacles as you seek to establish a positive family meal table with your family. But dear mothers, we don’t give up. We look for ways through the challenges.I remember one time talking to my eldest son who was going through some incredible challenges in his company and losing millions of dollars. I remember saying to him with great compassion, “How are you getting on with all those problems?” He looked at me incredulously and replied, “Mother I don’t have problems. I only have challenges!” And of course, he found a way through the challenges.
Let ‘s look at one of the problems that came up on the thread yesterday in response to my post, SATAN DOES NOT WANT FAMILY TOGETHNESS. Just typing this heading again, I am reminded why there are so many challenges! Of course, it’s because of this very truth, Satan does not want family togetherness! But are you going to let him have the victory? Never. You will find a way to overcome.
Here's a question from yesterday: “What can Mom do if Dad won't bother coming to the table and even brings his cell phone when he does show up?” Yes, this is a sad state of affairs. I think that many husbands have not grown up in homes where the family sat around the dinner table together, let alone had family devotions together. And therefore, they have no concept of the blessing of this family togetherness or of its importance.
But we’ve got to change that. So what can you do? You don’t stay on the negative. You go to the positive. Begin planning a special meal for your family and husband. Think about what you will cook. Some special dish that your husband loves. And then gear up your children. You’ll need to start a day or two before.
“Children, on Thursday evening (or whatever night you choose), we are going to have a special Daddy Night. I want you all to make a lovely card for Daddy. You can draw a picture and then write something special you love about Daddy. Make it as lovely as you can. And then we are going to give it to him on our special Daddy Night. And we are all going to get dressed up as though we were going to something special!” The little children will be able to draw a picture if they cannot write.
Then prepare your husband. “Darling, on Thursday evening we are going to be having a very special family meal. Just making sure you’ll be home that night.”
Now when it comes to the night, get your children all excited. Put on a tablecloth and set the table beautifully. Get the children to help you with it all. Light candles for the table. Get one of the children to make a beautiful centerpiece. And then place all the children’s cards on your husband’s plate. He can either read them immediately or you could ask him to read them out loud as you are eating the meal together.
Oh yes, you could even make a special dessert too! Now your husband may have brought his phone to the table out of habit, but I am sure he won’t even have time to look at it! He will be so blessed! It will change his attitude toward the table.
Do something special like this (make it different each time) at least once a week. Little by little your husband will begin to see the wonder of the family meal table. As you make your family meal creative and exciting, the iPhone will be boring in comparison.
Loads of love,
Nancy Campbell
P.S. Also look up this link to read about this wonderful family mealtime.
The Shabbat Meal - No. 133 (aboverubies.org)
214 Hits
What’s the atmosphere like in your home? What’s it like at mealtimes? Do you gather together around your table? Talk and fellowship together? Open God’s Word and pray together? Do you do dishes and clean up the kitchen together? Or is Mom left with the mess and everyone goes their merry way?
God has a plan for every person He creates. He prepares our destiny before we are born (Psalm 139:16; Ephesians 1:4; and 2:10). Even more, He prepares our body for us. Each one is unique and different.
Last weekend a missionary was speaking at Evangeline’s home. Unfortunately, I couldn’t attend because of a prior engagement. However, a number who were present passed on this story to me. This godly man lives in Mexico and has a ministry to the street people, but periodically comes into USA to minister among young people.
Love the truth. Seek after truth. Know the truth. Never bend to lies or deception.
God has given us weapons. They have the power to demolish all strongholds. We have these weapons constantly available to us and yet how often do we use them?
Every now and then I like to get on my “band wagon” or my “soap box.” I have quite a few soap boxes! Which one am I on today?
In the midst of your daily routine and challenges of mothering you can often forget the awesomeness of what you are doing. Do you realize, mother, that your children are not only a gift from God to you but a gift from God to the world? Motherhood is so far-reaching. It's not confined to your little home. Each one of your children have been destined by God and have been in His heart from the foundation of the world. God has a special purpose for each one of them to fulfill. What a privilege to raise a child who is "a gift to the world"!
Dear mother, can I ask you what voices you listen to? There are many voices in this world, all vying for your attention. Humanistic voices lure you away from the heart of your home, the place God divinely provided for you to raise your children. Deceptive voices tempt you to get involved in more and more outside activities that take your time away from your home and family.
...the things that God loves and what He hates? We won’t fully know these things unless we are daily in his Word.
Do you like waiting? Well, in the natural world it is hard to wait, isn’t it? We like things to happen just when we want them. However, the Bible talks a lot of about waiting.
Paul wrote to the Corinthian believers: "I will very gladly spend and be spent for you" (2 Corinthians 12:15). The adding of "and be spent" to his affirmation means "vehemently, heartily, and exceedingly." This was Paul's attitude to the new believers in Christ.
God is a covenant-keeping God and He wants us to be covenant-keeping people.
The great preacher and author, Dwight L. Moody said, "If I could relive my life, I would devote my entire ministry to reaching children for God!" He understood the power of investing in a child's life.
“The most extraordinary thing in the world is an ordinary man and an ordinary woman and their ordinary children.”
This is where many mothers have a hang up. They love their children but they don’t love motherhood. They have one foot in one world and one in another. To live in the joy and fullness of motherhood the secret is to embrace with all your heart your career of motherhood. To not only love your children but love motherhood makes all the difference. Begin confessing that you love motherhood.
I am not languishing. I am not deceived.
Oh yes, we fail and fall so many times. But we don’t have to stay down. In the strength of the Lord we can get up again.