What type of family do you belong to?

Society defines as 2 parents and children but I define family as a support system. It could be blood family, friends or church. It could be the community you are part of or the people rely on you.
I look at the different families I am in. I have blood family but just like any family, we have problems. You either support each other or you dont..period. You fight but in the end love is it. When you chose to allow others to interfer in your family, you have lost.
Lets talk about the family you chose...friends. You know what you look for and you know what you qant and you strive for it. I look at my friends and know that we are family. We fight, laugh and support each other through it all. We chose to be there for each other. Family that is not blood based but love based.
Then we have a family that you shouldnt have to try to fit into. This family is your communitt/church family. When God leads you to a place a worship, He wants you there. He wants you to join His family. I have been to many churches and have tried to be part of the family but in the end the family rejected Gods plan. You should feel comfortable in Gods house and surrounded by His people. If you dont, pray He leads you were he wants you. I pray that God leads me to where he wants me. I need to find a church family that follows Gods will.

What type of family do you have? I pray you are part of a family of love and support in whatever regards that family fits you.

Children

In todays society, children are being cuddled and told life is easy, way to much. We tend to look at our children and want the best for their future. But are we really succeeding in that. I don't think so.

Parents today are so busy trying to work, pay bills, raise a family and keep everything going, that they often don't take the time to let their children be children. Our kids get up at 6am to catch a bus for school, get home at 4pm and then homework, chores, dinner and play time. On the weekends, we have to stay up with the "Smiths" so the kids are in all sorts of sports or extra-curricular activities that they don't have time to chill and relax. Then hormones hit. And the kids start getting aggravated and tired of their parents forcing them to do what they don't, and then what happens. Sweet little Johnny has turned into psycho Johnny and starts bullying at school because of his home life. When did this become a problem? When, we as parents, decided that our children can't be children. When we started telling them that they were entitled to whatever they wanted, and don't let anything stand in the way.

I agree all children are entitled to certain things. A roof over their heads, clothes on their backs, food in the tummys, and love from their parents. They are entitled to be taught the rights and wrongs of life, and entitled to receive the punishment or reward from their actions. When we quit doing that, we have made selfish children.

My child has everything his little heart wants but that is because as he was growing up I told him he was entitled. Will I do that with my baby, nope. I want my oldest to grow up to be a productive member of society, not someone that is lazy or that blames everyone else for the problems he created. We allow our children to use excuses, so that we don't have to be PARENTS and punish them for their actions. What is wrong with a little corporal punishment? I don't mean beating them until they are black and blue, but a spanking every once in awhile, or a good mouth washing, would not hurt them. As toddlers, our babies look at us for guidance. When we allow them to continue to do disruptive behavior, we are setting the tone for his/her future. As a toddler  they have limited understanding of our world. They know that mommie says it is hot but I need to test those boundaries. So as a parent we don't want them hurt, but if he/she chooses to continue the behavior and touch something hot, then they learn. It is time that we stop allowing our children to dictate what is and isn't going to be done.

I was spanked as a child, and you were probably spanked also. Did it kill you? Nope. It hurt your pride more than anything. And I guarantee that when you went to repeat the same action, you thought about it first. We need to teach our children that for every action there is a reaction, rather it be good or bad. We need to quit allowing society to dictate what is acceptable punishment for our children. I wish now I would have spanked a little more and cuddled a little less. I wish I would have made him more accountable for his actions as a young child. I love my children. I want the best for them. But I am tired of seeing children run over their parents. I am tired of seeing moms/dads get sent to jail because they washed their childs mouth out with soap. The person that decided to start saying that spanking is beating, is probably a child screaming for love, trapped in an adults body. I feel for that person and their situation but that is on their parents who didn't do them right. Quit telling me what I can and can not do for my kids.

We need to remember that the Bible tells us

Proverbs - Chapter 6:20-23 ( taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation ©. Copyright © 1996, by Tyndale Chariatable Trust)

20. My son, obey your father's commands, and don't neglect your mother's teaching.
21. Keep their words always in your heart. Tie them around your neck.
22. Wherever you walk, their counsel can lead you. When you sleep, they will protect you. When you wake up in the morning, they will advise you.
23. For these commands and this teaching are a lamp to light the way ahead of you. The correction of discipline is the way of life.

If we use this as our guide then we will raise our children to be strong men/women of the Lord and they will walk with their heads held high and understand that what we did while they were growing up, was just to make them stronger. 

As always... this is just my opinion... the ramblings of a stay at home mom