Fall 2007

Dear Friends,

I hope you all have enjoyed your summer. I’m sure school and many Fall activities are now in full swing, and with that many families seem to resume hectic schedules. Whether it’s sports, music, dance, gymnastics, martial arts, church activities, or tutoring, there are so many worthwhile activities, so many opportunities for children these days. With this plethora of activities, it becomes more imperative than ever to exercise self-control and wisdom.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us: “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.”

Do you spend much of your day driving from one place to another, running from one errand or lesson or activity to another? Is every waking moment spent multi-tasking, rushing to get through another long to-do list?

I don’t think that is the way our Lord intended us to live each day. He tells us in I Peter 3:4 that what is precious in His sight is a “quiet and gentle spirit.”

The world clamors for our attention. The constant barrage of advertising plays into parental guilt, and our friends pressure us to join them in whatever it is they have chosen for their children. We feel that we cannot deny our children these worthwhile activities.

Actually, we are depriving them (and ourselves) of relaxed time at home, time for nutritious family meals, time to unwind and rest, time to pray and study and meditate on God’s word, time for family devotions, enough time to sleep… time for what really matters.

If you want a calm, peaceful household, you will have to limit the number of outside activities you and your children are involved in each season. They will not be “deprived” if they can’t do everything that beckons. They will not grow up to be in some way “disadvantaged” or behind their peers.

Teach them Ecclesiastes 3:1 and demonstrate wisdom and self-control by prayerfully taking control of your family’s schedules. Don’t let other adults, no matter how good their intentions may seem, set your family’s daily schedule with all the practices or lessons you must attend.

Here’s one way to help teach your children to make wise choices: write each activity they would like to do on an index card or small piece of paper. Lay the cards out on a table along with a calendar. A Year-At-A-Glance calendar is helpful, or tear a monthly calendar apart so you can lay the months side by side. Set a limit – perhaps just one – after school activity per season. Help your child to learn to set priorities as you look together at their activity cards, and at the calendar. “If you choose soccer this Fall, it will run from September through November…” Make a line through all those days on the calendar with a pencil or highlighter. “We may need to wait until January then to start flute lessons…” If your child would rather start flute lessons now, then remove the soccer card until next year.

Of course, children will want to do everything right now! Children are impulsive and cannot understand all the ramifications of their decisions, and that is why parental guidance and leadership is so important. Remember that in the Garden of Eden, Eve wanted everything, too! God had set an important limit, one she so unwisely chose to ignore.

After looking at the big picture – a seasonal look at the calendar – then look at a daily and weekly calendar or day-timer with your child, and consider what their activities will mean within the context of family life. Will you have to sacrifice family dinner time to take part in this activity? Will there be little time for church? Will bedtime be pushed ever later? Children know what they want (!) and have to be helped to see how their activities could affect the family.

As you help your children learn to prioritize all the things they want to do, you are helping them learn to be considerate and unselfish. You are helping them gain wisdom, something they will need to use all their lives as they make more decisions moving toward adulthood.

You may find the devotional, “Fruitful or Fretful?” helpful. As you plan your days, weeks and months, remember that one day we will give an account to our Lord for how we spent our time on this earth. We do not need to give an account to our friends, or our church, or coaches, or relatives. We do need to please our Lord, and our husband. A wife with a calm and gentle spirit who creates a peaceful home that nurtures her family is wise indeed.

My husband and I have had to apply these same principles as our lives have changed in many ways this year after he began kidney dialysis last December. He has had several surgeries this summer, and is feeling better. We chose to do daily hemodialysis at home because it is best for his health. It takes us 3 – 4 hours each day. So we’ve had to say “no” to many other activities. The Lord has given us a real peace as we settle into this season in our lives.

I will write Online Letters as time permits; it may be quarterly rather than monthly. I have now posted all the past Online Letters in the Letters Archives. You’ll find many helpful household tips, recipes, and ideas for your FCH groups in the Archives. You may print copies for yourself and your FCH group.

I also plan to create an Archives section for devotionals I’ve written, and perhaps some other materials. So I hope you’ll check back and peruse the site often.

Blessings to you as you plan this Fall season for your family.

Until next time ~

Yours in Him,




Copyright, 2007, Laurie Latour.  www.FutureChristianHomemakers.com

You may make one printed copy for your own personal, private use.  FCH leaders may make one printed copy for each person in their group.  Copyright line above must be included in all copies.  Permission for any other use must be requested in writing. 
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To read previous online letters, such as "Express Cooking" and many others, please
visit our Archives.