I Believe (Part 7 in a Series): Happiness in Family Life

I've been writing a series of posts explaining my thoughts about family, based on The Family: A Proclamation to the World. If you missed the previous posts, they can be found here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6.

Today's post focuses on a portion of the proclamation that provides a blueprint for a happy family:

Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities.

A photograph of a toddler with his parents, paired with the words “Happiness in family life [should be] founded upon the teachings of … Jesus Christ.”

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I actually based my 100th week of the Ten Things of Thankful post around those principles. I also have an idea for the future that incorporates those lines. Stay tuned!

Today, though, let's discuss what makes a happy family. What do you think of when you think of a happy family? I think of a family where all members are treated with love and respect, and where each person behaves unselfishly, unified in common goals--much like President John F. Kennedy's famous line, ". . .ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country." I think of families gathered at the dinner table, praying for a blessing on the food before enjoying a healthy meal. I think of bedtime stories, music, and laughter. I think of traditions and holidays and happy helpers.

Of course, families are comprised of imperfect people, so even the best families will have moments of, "MOMMMM, she's looking at me!" The home should be a perfect place to learn and practice repentance and forgiveness in an understanding atmosphere.

A photograph of a father and daughter combined with the words “Everyday activities in our homes may be simple.”

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I love that above quote: "Everyday activities in our homes may be simple, but because they are simple, frequent, and repeated, they offer important opportunities to build individuals and families." I hope that when my children look back over their childhoods, they remember family prayers, family home evenings, reading, singing, laughing, working, and playing together. I hope they remember happiness.