Family Home Screeching

You know about Family Home Evening. Monday evening, gather the family, sing songs, share a spiritual message, enjoy an activity, serve some treats, say opening and closing prayers...

Believe it or not, the kids and I have been pretty diligent about it over the years. We have a cutesy chart of who does what each week. Everybody gets a turn at conducting or giving the lesson or leading on the activity.

True to the many stories I've heard over the many years I've been a member of the Church, as the kids became teens the issue became more difficult. Yep, it's true. Kids have lives and activities outside of the home, friends calling them to go and do things, TV programs and computer time that is more appealing.

But to be honest, every single time I hold my ground and don't give in to the petitions from the kids to "skip it this week", we manage to get together a decent enough family home evening that has meaning.

Tonight CC shared a story from the current New Era about a girl who had to sing a solo and forgot the words in the middle of her performance, but her bishop stood up and sang the rest of the hymn with her to support her. The message was to remember that the Savior stands beside us when we need support.

AJ's activity was a round of Monopoly Junior (because we don't own the regular version) where he made up the rule that you could buy anyone's property for the face value any time you landed on it, with or without the owner's permission. The buildings came and went with such speed that it was hard to tell who owned the space each time around the board.

We then drove to Macey's and bought a Marie Callender chocolate turtle pie for dessert.

Our opening song: I Love to See the Temple

Our closing song: Give, Said the Little Stream (the kids laughed about how they used to jump up and down on the couch every time they sang the word Give).

We're trying and we're blessed for trying. Never give up.