Two weeks ago my family made the trek from Cardston Alberta, to Tofino BC and participated in our annual Mckay Clan family reunion. This reunion came at a BAD time for us. It just so happened to start on the evening of the same day my miracle home was being moved down from Calgary. The decision to go and be away from this momenteous (and critical) event was a difficult one. Steven, the kids and I fasted, prayed and tossed thoughts back and forth for weeks before finally deciding to ‘just go’. The feelings of peace I had experienced on the way to BC was getting shaken when I got the first frantic call saying my house was stuck. I was tempted to stay by the phone for the day, being a day late but my kids tears persuaded me to do otherwise. I am so grateful I left when I did. My house ended up being wonderfully delivered and my time at Long Beach was so delightful that I cherish every moment I spent there with my family.
Seeing my kids playing with their cousins, aunties, uncles and grandparents (and dear family friends) is something that was so delicious to participate in. I wished that my eyes were a camera and every time I blinked I could perserve that moment forever.
As I get older, and my kids get older with me, I am reminded again and again about the importance of doing these types of ‘family adventures’. The more I read and study the effects ‘wholesome recreation’ has on families, the more impressed I am that this phrase was put in the Proclamation To The World
. I remember the first time I heard the Proclamation To The World read out in Relief Society General Session at BYU-H. While the spirit testified that this was an important proclamation, I had no idea how important it would become in the future. Eternal truths that I was raised with, and that so many in our society were raised with, recently have become more and more questioned, causing the break-down of many families. Not only are societal values being redefined, new and wonderful technologies are also being used to separate families from one another. This is truly tragic and reversible. I think that if more families realized the power of ‘turning off the ipod’ and actually sitting and chatting with one another on a regular basis, they would do it. I don’t think that it is a matter of not wanting a richer family life, I believe it is because so many don’t know where to find it.
A little while ago I came across this talk that explained in scientific (and interesting) terms, how important spending time together as a family is. Especially spending time doing meaningful and engaging activities, like skiing, swimming, traveling, serving, eating, cooking ect. . .and ‘intentionally spending leisure time together‘. After listening to this talk I truly felt grateful that I dropped my house project and went.
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