Cultivate Secure Families in a Shaky World

Judy Scharfenberg is full of life. Her family and friends love her. But she also comes with a wealth of wisdom, one of the reasons I asked her to write this Family UPGRADE.

“I am not a super mom, nor do I have a college degree,” Judy says. “What I do have is a lifetime of experience.”

Experience. The mark of wisdom is that we learn from both the good and the not-so-wonderful experiences in our lives. I (Dawn) have always appreciated Judy’s desire to look at life from a godly perspective.

She continues …

What does a lifetime of experience look like?

I have been a high school drop-out, a teenage wife and mom, a single parent who worked full-time, a woman who struggled (with alcohol, fear and depression), a stay-at-home mom, a working mom and a wife for forty–two-plus years.

The last fifteen years, I was a caregiver for my husband. Now I am a widow. I am the mother of six adult children—five are married—and grandmother to fifteen terrific grandkids.  

I always tell people, “I don’t have this gray hair for nothing!” 

What I have to say is not rocket science. It’s a “back to basics” approach; something we’ve lost touch with in our fast-paced world. It’s easy to forget what’s important. I am living proof that a secure family begins with you and me.

Proverbs 14:1 says, “The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish one tears it down with her own hands.”

As the heartbeat of your home, be proactive. Counteract the influence of our culture and develop a strategy toward cultivating security within your home. 

There is a lot you can do to insure that your home is fertile soil for a growing, happy, healthy family.

Here are six simple steps that will help you get back on track—areas I found were important in raising my family:

1. Serve dinner at the table. Connections are made.

2. Read to your children Character is introduced.

3. Volunteer in your neighborhood or community. Joy is discovered.

4. Commit to daily exercise. Persistence is rewarded.

5. Pray. Faith is strengthened.

6. Remember Quiet Time. God is encountered.

You can start now. 

• Why not plan for dinner at the table tonight. I have five easy recipes complete with a grocery list for you. Email me! 
• Make tonight joke night. Ask everyone to come to the table with a joke, and let each have their turn. Listen and be sure to laugh! 

You say, “I don’t know any jokes.” Here’s one to get you started:

What do you call a fairy who needs a bath?

Stinker Bell! 

 Again, there is much you can do to cultivate the fertile soil in your family.

Which of these six tips would most help you as you encourage growth at home?

Judy Scharfenberg is a popular speaker at conferences, retreats and other women’s events. She has published stories in several books and writes a column for a local newspaper. In her book, Secure Families in a Shaky World, Judy elaborates on the six tips in this post, offering topics to discuss at dinner, a reading list, tips on Bible study and prayer time, and even an exercise routine. Mother of six and grandmother to fifteen, Judy lives in Murrieta, California. For more information or to invite her for an event, visit her website. 

Graphic, adapted, Image courtesy of vorakorn at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.