As summer is winding down, kids’ vacation time is also approaching to an end.  I realize that we didn’t get a chance to have a whole family vacation or outing yet, as there were always millions of things pull us apart. Yesterday, we finally had the opportunity to have a whole family outing. We went to a local state park to enjoy the warmth of beautiful sunshine, beach and row boating.

Sitting in a row boat with my kids, basking under the sun, I watched them row the boat and thought this is really a nice and pleasant day!  My elder son, however, seems not quite in the mood of this activity. I asked him what is going on. He said he prefers to hang out with his friends. I then became aware of that his peers’ attraction is more than us – the whole family. I don’t blame him as he is still young. I think he will understand the importance of family relationship when he is getting older. I find this fact was reflected on my eldest daughter who chose to reschedule her lunch meeting with her friend in order to join us with this family outing.

A family usually means a group of people who are closely related by birth, marriage, or adoption.  They usually live together and function as a single household with parents and children as a hierarchical and relational structure. Thus, when a group of people lives together without relationship as was described previously, we don’t usually view it as a family.

Last time I shared with you about a big family which is from God. I emphasized that it is love that really matters to a family as it is the foundation that is based on God’s truth. Bible told us that God establishes the marriage for a man and a woman to join together in one flesh in order to start a new family. When we chose to ignore this truth, the foundation of a family shattered. The consequence is chaos in the society because God has been excluded from our daily living – there is no restraint in our sinful desires in the flesh. Apostle Paul indicated to us that God gave those who exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones over to shameful lusts. The results are receiving in themselves due penalty for their error (Romans 1:24-27). May we be solemnly reminded, my dear brothers and sisters.