The Adam’s Family

September 25, 2021Blog, Personal Growth, Sunday Sermonsfamilydebio7 Leave a comment

Sunday Sermon 9.25.21

Family is our topic today, so let’s start off differently, shall we? Play along with me…test your knowledge of some of the top 20 TV families. What’s the TV show called?

# 20 – A cartoon family about the Griffins.
# 19 – This real life family is of mom, dad and their 8 kids.
# 12 – The Bundy’s sought to bring humor to married life.
# 10 – Yet another cartoon family, this time with a snarky protagonist.
# 8 – A rich family raising a nephew.
#5 – Who didn’t love these adorable twins?
# 2 – This became one of the first blended famillies on TV.
#1 – The Arnold’s showed us a slice of down home wonder in a young boys family and life.

If you want to see how you did, scroll on down to the bottom where I’ve listed these TV shows.

There is another family, (of course, many other families) portrayed on TV that I want to mention – The Addam’s Family. Do you remember it? It was a TV series from 1964-1966, then again in 1973, and 1992-1993. This family was based on a fictional household created by American cartoonist – Charles Addams in 1938.

It’s members were Gomez and Morticia, famously in love, bizzar and even frightening to their neighbors. Their kids were Wednesday and Pugsley, and then there were the close family members, Uncle Fester and Grandmama. Let’s not forget the butler, Lurch, or Thing (that disembodied hand), cousin Itt, or the pets – Aristotle (octopus) and Kitty Kat (the lion).

Of this famed family, it is said, “Their influence on society ranks with that of the Kennedy’s and Roosevelts”. (Glamour Magazine)

“Their house (on Cemetery Ridge) was a wreck, but they were a close-knit, extended family. Supportive, friendly and hospitable to visitors.”

Accept that description or not, it is a remarkable statement. Stellar in fact, if you ask me.

Family is meant to influence society! Family is the basic buiding block of society. Family is the single, most powerful tool to build a strong, thriving cuture, and civilization.

Family. Familia. Jiating. Gajog. Familie. Famille. Sem’ya. Usra.

In every language, culture, and nation, the family is needed. Vital. Required. Wanted. Essential.

Let me emphatically add, that your family is essential, just as it is, with it’s personalities, and characters. Your family does not and will not follow the paths of the dynasties –

The Barrymore’s – Hollywood movies
Ford’s – automotive world
Mellon’s – banks & steel
Manning’s – football
Koch – business
Lauren – retail
Murdoch – media
Rockefeller – banking
Kennedy – politics
Walton’s – superstores

But the influence of your family, on society is JUST AS IMPORTANT as theirs.

Families come is all shapes and sizes, we recognize that. And so does God.

In fact, the Hebrew word that is translated by NIV and other translations as “family”, really means – “a circle of relatives; family; a tribe of people.” The word is “mish-paw-khaw” in Hebrew.

That means a family, is a circle of relatives, a tribe of people who surround each other.

For many, that will be a biological family relation of some sort. For others, that tribe surrounding you is not biolofical but perhaps spiritual or emotional relationships. None the less, these are a circle of people who have your back and you theirs. They are family.

All of us have times in our life that we scrutinize our family relations. We may even question our place in the family or the value of it or possibly even our own value. This is part of life. Part of maturity and growth. Look at these guys who did just that:

Gideon said to God, “Pardon me Lord, how can I… my clan is the weakest and I am the least in my family…” Judges 6:15

Saul too, questioned his family, his clan, his circle – “… is not my clan the least of all the clans?” 1 Samuel 9:21

Could you insert your name there, for Gideon’s or Saul’s? Or do you identify more closely with The Addam’s family, The Brady Bunch, The Kennedy’s, The Ingalls, or the Kardashians?

It has always been God’s plan to use your family to shape you. And that it has. No family is exempt. Weakest clan or strongest/most famous clan, God’s purpose is to use it to shape you into who He has designed you to be. Using the good, the bad, and the ugly in our clan, it develops in us the person and personality we allow. Our responses to those rubbings within the family clan, provide for us choices. Opportunities.

Hang with me here –

That “mish-paw-khaw” word for circle of relatives, family comes from another Hebrew word that means:

” to abrade, to stick out.” It literally means, to scrape or wear away by friction or erosion. To irritate or roughen by rubbing. It is the root from which we get our word abrasion.
Strongs concordance H 8192

Dear reader – doesn’t that sound exactly like your family? My famly? All families?

That circle of relatives who rub us the wrong way, irritate us and cause friction, who have bruised and scraped us raw…. Yeppers! That’s family. The ones who God uses to shape us, and rub off the rough edges of our personality and erode away those things that stick out from us that don’t belong. That is family. And that is what God designed families to do. (In addition to alot of other things…)

God placed each of us into our family of origin. We had no choice. But we do have choices now and how we choose to respond to the rubbing and abrasions of family will make or break us.

But more importantly, our family (and responses to it,) is what makes the backbone of our society. No pressure there, right? But it is true. Our families are meant to display the love of God, grace and mercy of God to the world.

God has chosen families from Adam’s family to yours to reveal His purposes and plans. Let Him rub, and refine you in your family setting and let His light shine through you and reflect off of you and your circle of relatives.

Our society needs Godly Adam’s families.

Cheers to you,

Debbie

TV Family quiz-

20- Family Guy
19- The Gosselins
12- Married with Children
10- Simpsons
8- Fresh Prince
5- Full House
2- Brady Bunch
1- Wonder Years

The importance of family

March 22, 2020Blog, Encouragement, Personal Growthdistancing, family, quarantine, stay closedebio7 Leave a comment

This week, these 2 concepts became a reality in our lives.

Right from the start, I had a real hard time accepting even the terms. My mind raced and emotions raged, “We are not meant to be isolated… we were not made to be at a distance from others…and God, you sent Jesus to close the distance between you and man and between man and his/her neighbor.” I was pretty outspoken about it to those close to me and God.

As it has played out in our life, our community, and our nation, two things have rung true in my heart and mind. I submit them to you.

#1 – There has never been a more important time in our nation for family connections. Family is the single most important influence in our life. Family connections contribute to happiness, mental wellness and physical health. It is well documented that when people feel better connected it leads to a greater degree of support and wholeness psychologically.

In a family, its members feel safe, protected and loved. In that family confidence develops. Emotions are given vent and accepted. Sharing is valued and needed. Love is modeled, shared, given and received. It is unconditional.

This is important for all families. No matter the makeup, structure, or members. No matter the ties that bind it together, ie: blood, marriage, ancestry, affiliation, beliefs, or house of residence.

NOW is the time for our families to be more connected than ever before. No matter how far apart we are spread, how isolated we must stay, or how strained those very family ties may be. Whether all of your family members are in one home, or strewn about the nation. You need them and they need you. Now more than ever.

#2 – Communication is key. I’m sure not one of us would argue the value of effective communication in our family. So not much needs to be said, except DO IT. Communicate with your family.

Be approachable when a loved one wants to talk( even tho’ you are busy.) Allow for all feelings, anger and frustration are delicate issues. Spontaneous or planned conversations, be ready and spearhead both. Remember, “small talk” leads to bigger, and deeper concerns of the heart.

Because your kids may be grown and living away does not change this important key. It is still vitally important, to you, to them. Be vigilant in texts, calls, emails, and all those other fun apps and ways of communicating. (My son just sent me a TikTok this week of he and his finace, it was so funny and uplifting.)

So let’s reinforce, strengthen, and in some cases, even renew those communication lines in our family. Now is the time. There’s nothing that’s more important than family.

In the midst of distancing and quarantine let’s reach out, close the gap, embrace those we love and reassure each one of our support, love and commitment to them, in whatever ways we can.

There’s nothing more important than family.

I would love it if you would send me a pic of your family. Email it to me at the link below. (Then I’d like to put them all on a page to share.)

mailto:underdebraspalm@gmail.com?subject=Website%20Enquiry

Let’s make our families even stronger in SPITE of social distancing!

Cheers to you (and your family).