May: Christan Home month
April showers bring May flower! The month after April is May, and with each new month changes can be seen. When thinking of May, students think "Just one more month until summer" or "it's allergy season, time to take out the tissues". But May is more than a time to relax, it is also a time to think one's faith through again. Church is always a good place for a faith renewal, but May is a time to focus that spiritual energy into ones home. Home is the place where one is always comfortable, so renew ones faith at home with ones family, friends, and even enemies. Home is where it all starts, and it is always best to return to the starting line.
What is Christian Home Month?
A little history lesson about the month of May. The United Methodist Church or UMC adopted Christian Home Month in 1992. The purpose was to encourage familes to worship at home as well as worshiping in church. People always worship at church and repent, but when they get home, most people tend to forget the things they promised. More than often times, Sundays at church is the only time people go to worship and think about God. This month allows for otherwise, with familes taking the time to worship at home as much as they do at church. The focus is family.
A Statement from our David Cohen, a member of RUMC
It is a beautiful morning and there are two birds sitting on my fire escape outside. They have been here for about 5 minutes just hanging out. It made me feel special and that maybe the message they are conveying to me is one of patience and humility. They are just standing there the two of them peaceful and carefree and making some type of humming noise. The feeling I received by these birds was that I need to have more patience today and spend some extra time with someone who may need a kind word from me. The birds sitting by my window made my heart soften and made me feel that someone cares for me. We all need to feel that someone cares for us, so LET GO of your pride and ego for a few moments and realize there is someone who needs what you have today.
Some ways to do good with your family
Certain aspects of life are better when you give, rather than recieve and here are some methods of giving that will give you a joy you can never get from receiving for both parents and children.
- Books: Education, not technology, is the path to the future, and contribute to that by donating old books, magazines, or bookcases to a school. If you donot desire to have it, that does not mean someone else will not want it. Help your child's school library out by donating books both new and old, oddies are goodies too.
- One to One: Spend some one to one time with your children to become closer to them and also teach them about the more harsher realities of the world. Even though it would be great, children cannot stay innocentforever, as theworldaround them would not allow it. Spend some time with your children to teach them about the world, besides, it is better that the child hears thisfrom their parents first.Besides talking, just read to them or get them engaged in activities in their community, such as volunteering.
- Teens: For teenagers who are under stress from school work, SATs, the ACT, and friends, know that your should relax every now and then. You only get to be 16 once in your life, so enjoy the time you have now, while also focusing on your education. It is critical to get engaged in your community, so instead of typing away on your facebook or being stuck inside studying all the time, know that a breath of fresh air can do you wonders. Remember that family time is as important as study time, so you should spend some time with them as well. Ask your parents to help you with studying, just because they are older do not mean they are not intelligent.
- Family: Just one of the cores of life is your family, and go out of your way to accept their different lifestyle. Chores or housework, is always bothersome to do, alone it is a pain. But together, with the entire family chipping in, the work will be less stressful, and it will teach everyone how to use the vacuum. The vacuum is an excellent piece of technology, and everyone in the present day enjoys using the new advances of it, whether it be an iPhone, new TV, or a piece of sports equipment. While technology is great, it limits families from spending time together. Take out your old puzzles or board games and get your family to play together as it is a great way to spend time doing something fun.
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Do not E-Mail: What emotion is there in emails? Instead of emailing everyone to thank them, why not write a card or a letter? Grandparents, and even family members would love to receive something handmade or handwritten. Letter,
cards, and even small handmade gifts are a sight of delight to anyone who receives them. No matter how busy you are, call a relative on the phone everyonce in a while. It is always nice to hear the voice of someone familiar.
Questions to Ponder?
While walking to the library today, I came across a little bird on the sidewalk. This bird did not sing sweetly, or hop away from me. In fact, this bird just laid there and it could only do such as it was dead. In the bible, during the seven weeks of creation, God created all the birds and the beast first. Just seeing a dead animals makes you wonder, do animals go to heaven? Do animals worship God and Jesus and just do it in a different way? God created theses animals, so would they go to heaven as well, or is heaven just limited to humans? Animals have a family too, and similar to humans, family is the center of their lives. So similar to people, the question that exists is do animals go to heaven?