Household Ministry — It’s Cross-Generational

Treat Every Day like Valentine’s Day!
Whether you and your partner consider Valentine’s Day a “Hallmark holiday,” one thing is clear: for many couples Valentine’s Day is about celebrating your life together. Most people make a point to go above and beyond in demonstrations of affection and appreciation on special holidays such as Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, or birthdays, but what about all of the other days of the year?
It’s easy to get so consumed in the grand scheme of life that we forget about making our relationships a priority, and we begin to take our partners for granted. However, research indicates that a couple’s friendship is one of the key factors in predicting relationship satisfaction. If we don’t make a point of nurturing our friendship with our partners, we may eventually feel like two passing ships instead of that joyous couple we once were. Fortunately, even small changes can make a difference. One of these changes I encourage you to make is treating each day like Valentine’s Day. This doesn’t mean that you need to shower your love with fancy dinners and chocolates everyday (although many wouldn’t complain about the extra chocolates). What it means is to make a point of showing your partner that you’re interested in their world. It means thinking positively about your partner instead of focusing on those not-so-pleasing traits, and it means showing your partner that you care about him or her.
As members of a faith community, it’s important to think about how we can use God’s word in our lives. One of the great joys I experience as a Christian and a counselor trained in marriage and family therapy is finding the ways that the Bible and research connects. I encourage you and your spouse to read the following scripture together and have some caring conversation about how this can apply to your relationship.
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:31-32
Amanda Dawson holds a Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and specializes in working with couples and families. For more information on her practice, go to centus.org or call 303-827-6403.
Safe Haven Training
Safeguarding God’s Children is the training seminar we will be providing for all adults who either work with youth and/or who have access to our property. If you are a Sunday School teacher, Youth Ministry volunteer, or hold a key to the BLC premises, please mark your calendar for March 2, 9:00 AM–12:00 Noon. This is also a great learning opportunity for parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and any other adult who cares about the health and well-being of children. You do NOT need to be a volunteer to attend! PLEASE COME! RSVP to Deaconess Kristen by February 28.
Resource of the Month
The Busy Family’s Guide to Spirtuality: Practical Lessons for Modern Living from the Monastic Tradition by David Robinson
The Busy Family’s Guide to Spirituality is a book with a focus on helping parents and their children get more in touch with their relationship with God. This book offers practical advice on how to incorporate more intentional activities with your family in fun ways, such as having a family meeting over dessert and incorporating more prayer in the home. In addition, this book offers practical parenting advice based on St. Benedict’s Rule, used in monasteries all over the world. The author does an excellent job of tailoring the Rule to families in today’s modern world. While all people could learn how to incorporate new activities in your home from this book, it is geared toward families with children in the home. If you are a parent, a mentor, or someone who regularly works with youth, I would encourage you to pick up this great read and begin learning how to be more intentional with them.
–Amanda Dawson, Household Ministry
Team Member
 Don’t forget about the Household Ministry Resource Room this summer! Our “At Home Milestone Kits” are available for you all year long. Our very own Maddie Baltrum will be tending to the kits and making sure each basket is filled for the taking. Take the kits home to your neighbors, family and friends!

A Thank You for Our Mothers

In 1908, Anna M. Jarvis instituted the first Mother’s Day celebration to honor her mother. She pushed to have it officially recognized as a holiday, and in 1912, West Virginia was the first state to do so. Today, over 70 countries celebrate Mother’s Day.

Mothers play a crucial role in families. As infants and toddlers, we form attachments to our mother (and other caregivers) based on how they interact with us and respond when we need something. Ultimately, the type of attachment style we have with our mothers becomes the basis for how we form relationships throughout our lives. If our mother taught us that she is reliable and trustworthy, we learned that we could trust others.

Besides teaching us how to develop relationships, our mothers also taught us how to navigate life. For many of us, she is the one who taught us how to read, how to share, and how to be compassionate and caring individuals. Mothers typically have a more nurturing parenting style and many people I have worked with talk about how their mothers were great at helping them feel comfortable expressing their emotions and work through their feelings. In addition, having a good relationship with our mothers is a reliable predictor of academic success, better communication skills, and better social skills.

When growing up it’s easy to stay connected with our mothers. After all, we lived with them, and if your mom was anything like mine, she always made sure to ask about what was going on in your life. However, as we become older and move away, it’s not quite as easy to stay connected. In fact, research has shown that as adult children marry, daughters tend to become more distant while sons become closer to their families of origin.

As Mother’s Day approaches this year, remember that the holiday is not about giving your mom a nice card and gift. The day is about honoring your mother (or mother-figure), thanking her, and showing her how much you appreciate all of things she taught you as well as all of the ways she showed you love and care. I hope you all have been as fortunate as I have been to have a wonderful mother in my life.

~ Amanda Dawson

Come to worship on May 12, Mother’s Day, for a special Mother’s Day Blessing! Bring that special mom, aunt, grandma, godmother, mentor, or friend with you for a blessing at either the 8:00 AM or 10:15 AM worship service.