H O M E --

"It isn't the chairs and the books and things, or the pictures that hang on the walls;
    And it isn't the bird, although gaily he sings -- it's the laughter that rings in the halls;
It's the smile on the face of the Mother at night, and the joy in the little one's eyes,
    And our love for each other with all its delight that makes up the home that we prize."

     It is, perhaps, impossible to express in words the beauty and blessing of a truly Christian home where father and mother are devoted to God and each other, and the children are brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. 

     I remember reading a story some years ago about a young man raised in a godly home.  He was a brilliant young man, and in college had a professor whom he greatly admired for his intellect, but who professed to be an atheist.  The young man told of the great struggle he had as the professor tried to destroy his faith, but the thing that held him steady and kept him from denouncing his faith was the sweet picture in his mind of his dear father praying at the family altar each morning.  He could not get away from those prayers, nor could he forget the glory of God he had seen on his father's face many times.  He knew it was real, and it held him steady when the storm was raging!

     As parents, our children and grandchildren are all that we can take to heaven with us.  Everything else will be left behind.  Let us ask the Lord to help us build strong, Christian homes where Prayer and Praise are as natural as breathing -- the Bible, God's Holy Word, is loved and obeyed -- the precious hymns are still sung -- our conversations are like "apples of gold in pictures of silver" -- and then let us humbly ask the Lord to help us live so that all who enter our homes will know that we belong to Jesus  and find us singing, "Sweeter Gets the Journey Day by Day"!!