June 2016
The
end of the school year and the beginning of the summer always bring
about a sense of excitement, relief, and desire for exploration,
adventure, and, of course, relaxation. We think about the
accomplishments
that have been made throughout the school year with graduations,
concerts, and award ceremonies. We contemplate what we can do with our
valuable time with the warmth of the sunshine filling our souls with
renewed determination and hope for enjoyable times
ahead.
As
we think of the lazy (or not-so-lazy, as is usually the case) days of
summer, what should be our focus? Family. Families are as diverse as
individuals. The activities they do together vary, but one
thing is true for all of them: as President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said,
“In family relationships love is really spelled t-i-m-e, time.” Whether
family members get together for scheduled outings, sharing interests, or
serving others, these gatherings strengthen
relationships that can be eternal.
But life is too crazy. What should we do? 3 simple basic ideas to help strengthen our family bonds:
1. Make mealtime more meaningful – Make a concerted effort to eat together. Whether around the dinner table, on a picnic, or even across the table at a restaurant. Take advantage of the opportunity to talk, laugh, and learn more about each other.2. Turn off electronics – I am a Web Designer by trade, so I love electronics. I understand the wonderful things that can be achieved with them, but I can also see the time and attention that sucks people into their little world. Unplug, turn off, put away, step aside from the non-personal communication that comes from being “plugged in” to society. There is a time and place for them, but your family needs your undivided attention and you need theirs.3. Set aside family time - Go on field trips - visit museums, zoos, the great outdoors, the park, family history center, temple grounds, go geocaching, serve someone. Play games – play board games, video games with parents involved too, croquet, hopscotch, sports, darts, family Olympics. Attend concerts, plays, sporting events. Visit new places. Explore using themes focusing on different topics, regions, and activities. Choose what your family loves and do it.
Let
the house get dirty, work sit for a while, the weeds creep in, and the
phone sit idle while you place the fleeting time with family at the
forefront of importance in your life today. “Family life
is the best method for achieving happiness in this world, and it is a
clear pattern given to us from the Lord about what is to be in the next
world.” Spencer W. Kimball. I pray that we may take advantage of the
time we have and show our love to our families
by spending valuable time with them today.
Valyn Tucker
1st Counselor
