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Show Hand in Hand By Suzanne Workshops, publications, and other to help parents are becoming more and more available each day. The challenge wall be to keep up with whats available. Some people think there are secrets to improving the quality of the family Thats not true. There are no secrets With a little searching those elements to improve the family can be found by anyone. The only way to really get to know any person, really deeply, is to spend a lot of time with that person. Find out what they like and what they dont like. Listen to w'hat they say. You can tell a lot about what that persons innermost thoughts are about, if you will just listen. To be realistic, lack of good communication is not simply a problem for, this generation of parents and children it has been around for a long time A news and public affairs producer recently lamented that she had not told her parents she loved them since she graduated from college 11 years ago She w ants to, but its hard because as a child she sensed that her parents were always too busy to talk about family concerns. Now she wants to talk to them, but doesnt know how. But shes willing to learn and now is the best time to start. A leading authority on the family, Dr. Une Bronfenbrenner, commenting on the fragmented state of if the broken the family, said, family, so to speak, is a norm, then the legally wedded, two parent family is a rare exception Perhaps this is what the President of the United States had in mind when he declared the third week of November as National Family Week, dedicated to emphasizing the importance of the American Family. That week is just another evidence of the recent surge of interest on the part of many to reverse the disruptive trends among families. It is unfortunate that many parents feel their families are drifting apart. Some psychologists have said that the members of a happy family are bound together by belief in affirmative values and that generating such a belief is the most effective way to fight the creeping alienation of American families. Whenever someone in the family has any kind of a problem it affects the entire family and it becomes the whole familys problem. All of the family can be there to help that person over those rocky roads. How does one create a cohesive family that is made up of friends, not just relatives? One way is to give time, quality time, to each other with father and mother leading the way. Through time we can share with our family those great experiences that will help good communication among family members who were previously used to tearing off in their own directions all of the time. But eventually as deeper friendships are developed among family members, theyll come to savor those good times Thats what the kids will remember when it comes time for them ' to start leaving home. i i LU aV.j gras ua ua ej Hansen resources Ive had some wonderful experiences with my little ones. Ill take one along on a walk or a bike ride and we talk together as we go. It gives that child a chance, without any interruptions, to express how he or she feels. They like to ask questions about nature and about the sky when w'e go outside. Its fun for me to experience these things through a childs eyes for the first time. We as adults take the world around us for granted, in many ways. We are just too busy to see the real beauty out there. This is one way we have learned to communicate There are a fi suggestions on how to get started as family, listed in the Scoulim. magazine of November 1979, page F2 to dote, There is a family check-umine where your family stands i terms of individual growth, friend p ship, service, spirituality, an. teamwork, etc. Also write for the Strength Self Quiz put out by th- Mormon church It is free by writing to the Public Communications Department, Church of Jesus Chris! of Latter Day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah 84150. The American Family Society also list has an effective family check-u- p of the a and it copy sample Request Societys newsletter, Family Matters, by sending 30 cents in stamps and a stamped envelope to P.O. Box 9873, Washington, DC 20015. Remember, the point of a check-u- p cure troubles, its to stop troubles before they start. We ail simply need to show that we care by giving time, helping open channels of and bringing the communication, entire family into the act. With a little bit of planning that might not be too tough of a task. is not to JB St. Paul's selects Santa Lucia bride lovely old Swedish custom is still the by practiced congregation of the St KEARNS-- A CUSTOM LIGHTIi' QUALITY Pauls Lutheran Church SERVICE 5345 South, Kernes 969-739- 3 The Santa Lucia Bride was crowned with her candle-li- t wreath and distributed cookies to those present at a fellowship dinner last Sunday evening, December of a Switch. Christmas Gift Remembered! Give A Light... The Perfect Christmas Gift Wholesal Prices to the Public All Lighting Fixtures 50 S y$ttTfP OFF A Wot St childrens Sunday School musical piesentation will be given during the service They will be telling the Christmas story in song and verse. Party There will be a party for the children following the worship service. The centerpiece will be a Happy Birthday cake for Jesus. Food Collection They are collecting canne goods, mixes, package items, good used clothn plus any money donated f ' the Diet Kitchen at th Crossroads Urban Centci Anyone wishing to dona' should bring his items to th Church by December l'h o call 968 2682 9. As custom dictates, the eldest daughter of a family, usually 12 or 13 years old, is crowned on the 13th of December, or as close to that date as possible. Cleon Hess explained that at one time St. Pauls was part of a Synod that comprised mainly Swedish people. They instituted the tradition at St. Pauls and it has been observed faithfully ever since. As is the custom, last Annalisa vears Queen, Muthreich, crowned this years young lady. Allison Muthreich had been chosen to reign as the Queen of Light, the Santa Lucia Bride. As she was being crowned the congregation sang the lovely song, Santa Lucia and her Queen Allison Zumwalt, Robyn helpers, Theresa Bauer, and Muthreich passed A ship Sen ice Paul's worship service will be held on Sunday, December 16, and conducted by Rev. Clayton Hammell He has chosen a sermon title of Practical Christianity The trays oi cookies amongst the guests as Christmas carols were sung Paul's Lutheran Church. An old Swedish custom it is still practiced by this congregation. (I. to r.) Theresa Bauer, Queen Allison Muthreich, Robyn St. Zumwalt, and Muthreich. last years Queen Annalisa |
