What Influence

Over the past few weeks I have been struggling with the idea of family. As we all have dysfunction in our families it comes as no surprise when things happen, more so from the outside in, meaning aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers, mothers, fathers on forward to your own children and spouse.

The hardest part is, the closer it gets to your immediate family the harder it is to deal with and the more painful it can be!

Rachel and I have really battled this past two weeks with a ton of issues, mainly from our son. Often times the pain is too much to bare and it seems hopeless in our own strength.

Yet in the midst of this life I reach for God's word for the "How do I handle this?" and the "What do I do?" God has shown me to stay the course, don't make any sudden harsh moves and believe. OK, I can stay the course and not make any sudden harsh moves, but BELIEVE? Every indication I have had thus far tells me I CAN'T BELIEVE!

Funny how God can use things to teach you lessons. I am reading an article about a study done at the University of Pennsylvania. How do you say "caught and cot" or "pin and pen?" If you say them the same, you may be from the northeast. What does this have to do with the price in tea of china? Well it has been thought that we are loosing the dialects in each region as time goes on. The southern drawl, the nasal talk of the north, all thought to be going away.

So someone was bound to study it and guess what?

They are actually getting worse and more defined by region.

The influences they believed causing a decrease in regional dialect such as transplanting and relocation rates are not affecting the dialects as they thought. NOT EVEN TV is overcoming the influence on dialect, which was considered the greatest influence on dialect.

So what is causing the growth in strength? Family, that's right the influence of family is more powerful than any other influence. Biblically we know this to be true, for some reason scientifically they don't? Well I have to say that was a great encouragement to me cause when you feel all hope is lost and you are beating your head against a brick wall, it is nice to know that the influence My Beautiful(Gratuitous Plug) Wife and I make will surpass the peers, friends, books, teachers, and yes even the television.

The BIG question is this, "What type of influence am I on my children?" If I can confidently answer that question correctly than all I have to do is stay the course, not make sudden harsh moves and BELIEVE!

Deuteronomy 6:6-7:
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

I know not all of you have teenagers yet, but those of you who will one day may want to copy, paste and save this post for when you do! Those of you who already do GOD BE WITH YA!