- Joined
- Feb 9, 2004
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- 17,081
Family Foundation - May 22, 2007
"Love the Lord your God and keep his requirements, his decrees, his laws and his commands always... Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." (Deuteronomy 11:1, 19, NIV)
In this time of graduations, my prayer is that parents have taught their children well and instilled in them the values that will carry them successfully through life once they leave home for college or careers. I hope they can build their lives from a firm foundation of family.
I have very warm memories of my childhood and growing up in a close-knit family. We faced some tough times and financial struggles, but we met those challenges together. We may have lacked for money at times, but we never lacked for love.
During the Depression, my family had to move in with my grandparents. Looking back, sharing a home as an extended family was actually a blessing that brought us closer together and exposed me to the wisdom and role models of two generations.
Family is the foundation of our faith and values. My parents and grandparents instilled in me a faith in Jesus Christ that has remained at the center of my life. My family shaped within me a love of country and freedom. My home was the incubator of the American dream. I was fortunate to have parents who raised me to seize limitless opportunities and to believe in myself.
Focusing on family is one of our best hopes for perpetuating faith, moral values, patriotism, and success. I have a few suggestions that I've learned from my marriage and being a father and grandfather that I believe can help keep a family strong:
Faith in God builds strong marriages. A husband and wife who share one faith have a firm foundation for a successful marriage and a legacy to pass on to their children. Forgiveness, encouragement, agreement on finances and other major goals also are keys to a solid marriage.
Pay attention to your children. Make time for them. Listen to them. Discipline them by lovingly setting boundaries and imposing fair and reasonable consequences when they overstep those boundaries. Know your children's friends and who else might be influencing them.
Teach your grandchildren the fundamental lessons of life. Share your values by talking about them to your grandkids and being a role model. Give them the gift of your life experience.
Building a firm foundation of family takes work but pays dividends by ensuring each generation is instilled with the faith and values that are at the heart of abundant lives and a moral society.
Rich DeVos is the former chairman of Gospel Communications. He is also the author of "Hope From My Heart: Ten Lessons for Life," co-founder of Amway Corp., and owner and chairman of the NBA's Orlando Magic.
"Love the Lord your God and keep his requirements, his decrees, his laws and his commands always... Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." (Deuteronomy 11:1, 19, NIV)
In this time of graduations, my prayer is that parents have taught their children well and instilled in them the values that will carry them successfully through life once they leave home for college or careers. I hope they can build their lives from a firm foundation of family.
I have very warm memories of my childhood and growing up in a close-knit family. We faced some tough times and financial struggles, but we met those challenges together. We may have lacked for money at times, but we never lacked for love.
During the Depression, my family had to move in with my grandparents. Looking back, sharing a home as an extended family was actually a blessing that brought us closer together and exposed me to the wisdom and role models of two generations.
Family is the foundation of our faith and values. My parents and grandparents instilled in me a faith in Jesus Christ that has remained at the center of my life. My family shaped within me a love of country and freedom. My home was the incubator of the American dream. I was fortunate to have parents who raised me to seize limitless opportunities and to believe in myself.
Focusing on family is one of our best hopes for perpetuating faith, moral values, patriotism, and success. I have a few suggestions that I've learned from my marriage and being a father and grandfather that I believe can help keep a family strong:
Faith in God builds strong marriages. A husband and wife who share one faith have a firm foundation for a successful marriage and a legacy to pass on to their children. Forgiveness, encouragement, agreement on finances and other major goals also are keys to a solid marriage.
Pay attention to your children. Make time for them. Listen to them. Discipline them by lovingly setting boundaries and imposing fair and reasonable consequences when they overstep those boundaries. Know your children's friends and who else might be influencing them.
Teach your grandchildren the fundamental lessons of life. Share your values by talking about them to your grandkids and being a role model. Give them the gift of your life experience.
Building a firm foundation of family takes work but pays dividends by ensuring each generation is instilled with the faith and values that are at the heart of abundant lives and a moral society.
Rich DeVos is the former chairman of Gospel Communications. He is also the author of "Hope From My Heart: Ten Lessons for Life," co-founder of Amway Corp., and owner and chairman of the NBA's Orlando Magic.
