Family Dinner

In one of he groups I'm a part of at church we've been discussing a book about how the church is losing it's youth.  We're not retaining young people.  The biggest reason is that parents do not live out their faith.  Sadly, many parents do not even know why they go to church and do not have a personal relationship with God themselves.

On a Christian radio program I was listening to briefly tonight they were discussing the important of the family dinner in the life of the family.  Statistics show that children in families that eat dinner together in a traditional way (sitting down together without TV and other distractions) at least 3 times a week do better in school, they are more secure, they are far less likely to suffer from depression, and they are more likely to stay in church.

When I was growing up, family dinners were the norm.  It was a rare evening that we didn't sit down and eat together.  Even when my brothers and I were teenagers we managed to eat together most nights despite our busy schedules.  It was something Mom insisted on.

We shared about our day.  We talked about what we were doing in school, the latest book we were reading - whatever was going on in our lives.  We shared and laughed.  We fed our souls and our bodies at the same time.

Time is much shorter than you may think.  If you still have kids at home, please, make time as often as possible to sit down and eat together.  It's the best way to teach them about the love of God.  It could make all the difference in the world in your kids lives!

Deuteronomy 6:5-7 (The Message)
  
Love God, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that's in you, love him with all you've got!  Write these commandments that I've given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates