FAMILY
 
The sociologist tell us that the family is the primal human community, the basic building block of human society. It goes all the way back to Genesis and creation when God said: "It is not good for man to be alone. I will make him a helpmate like himself. " The family is not a luxury - it is a necessity. It is based on need: man needs woman and woman needs man. Without each other, they are empty and lonely people.

When the romance of the early days of marriage begins to wear off, God in His providence usually sends children to challenge the unselfishness of the husband and wife. The love of husband and wife grows stronger when they make sacrifices to take care of the children. They grow closer together in the shared love for their children.

Children also need their parents. Born physically helpless, they need a mother and a father for all the physical care and love, they need to grow in security and safety. Husbands and wives without children can become very selfish and self-centered people. Children without parents to love them, can grow up very insecure and unsure of themselves. All of us need the family to find ourselves as individuals. Without the family we are lonely pilgrims wandering aimlessly through life.

There's a story of a twelve year old Janice which is causing all kinds of trouble because she wants to be a member of the wedding. Because she loves her brother very much, she wants to go with him and his bride on their honeymoon. The family doesn't quite know how to handle Janice whose love wants her to stay with her brother even after his wedding. But finally, Janice solves the problem herself. Towards the end of the ceremony, she tells her brother: "Just now I realized something. I don't have to go with you on your honeymoon. I can stay here at home and still be with you. Because we belong to be together. We are the we of me." That's what the family is all about. It is the we of me. We need the family. We need each other because in the family we belong to be together.

Because real family love is a necessity, we have to work at it. It isn't something that comes easily. It demands motivation-a desire to make love grow in the family-an effort. That's the chain of love goes on and on...Here's the most essential people in my life...