Family Dynamics

What does the word family mean to you?  What thoughts or memories does it bring to your mind?  When you hear the word family, how do you feel?  Do you become happy, or do your thoughts take you to a place of sadness?

We all have someone that we can call family.  Whether is be a blood relative, or a best friend, family are those that we love and that love us.  Family consists of structure, and love, and learning.  We all have roles in a family, different responsibilities that we must fulfill to be successful in having a healthy family.

It is important that each of understands our role in the family, and that we help to build up a righteous posterity.  I guess my post today is more of a thought provoking post, to cause each of us to reflect upon our families, and upon our future families.

Social Class

We live in a world where we are judged, labeled, and categorized by our behaviors and by our monetary status.  It is said that the class we are born in is most likely the class that we will remain in for the duration of our lives.  Our choices and the way that we act is usually an indicator of our social class, and of the future that awaits us.

As I have thought about this kind of thinking, it has caused me to reflect on the worth of a human soul. It seems to me that we determine how much someone is worth upon conditions.  The world has caused us to look at individuals in this way, seeming to only care about the things of the world.

When we look at how valuable a human soul is, we learn that the worth of a human soul is great, and that each soul is equal.   No one is better or worth more than another.  Yes, each of us may be at different stages of monetary wealth or status, but does that really make a difference?  In some ways I think it can impact our lives, but in the grand scheme of things, it does not matter.

We must learn to be grateful for the things that we do have, and if we ever find ourselves doing well, and in a position to help others around us, we should.

Additional Blogs

•                Alexis Priestly	http://lexandfamily.weebly.com/the-family.html
•                Ally McClain	http://www.allysfamilylife.blogspot.com/
•                Amber Kranc	http://amberkranc.blogspot.com/
•                Annabel Detering	http://thoughtsonhomeandfamily.blogspot.com/
•                Bailey Baird	http://baileybaird.blogspot.com/
•                Caitlin Schofield	http://caitlinschofield.blogspot.com/
•                Candice Merrill	http://candicermerrill.blogspot.com/
•                Cristel Carlini	http://familiesareforeverandever.blogspot.com/
•                Elisse Cook	http://lovethatlasts4ever.blogspot.com/
•                Emily Hayes	http://thenutty9.blogspot.com/
•                Erica Arguello	http://familiesconnectedtoheaven.blogspot.com/
•                Hailey Patera	http://haileypaterafamily.blogspot.com/
•                Haley Lucas	http://miissblondiiefamilies.blogspot.com/
•                Heather Christensen	http://thefamilyrelationship.blogspot.com/
•                Janaya L. Johnson	http://the-family-is-ordained-of-god.blogspot.com/
•                Jenney Premont	http://thatsalongtime.blogspot.com/
•                Julie Moss	http://lovemyeternalfamily.blogspot.com/
•                Kayleena Johnston	http://throughtheeternities.blogspot.com/
•                Kaylonnie White	http://tormentorjoy.blogspot.com/
•                Kelsey Lawrence	http://familysmatteralot.blogspot.com/
•                Kelsey Murphy	http://kelseyleighannmurphy.blogspot.com/
•                Kody Daffer	http://kodydaffer.blogspot.com/
•                Krystal Palmer	http://alove4eternity.blogspot.com/
•                Laura Hudgins	http://centeredonfamily.weebly.com/index.html
•                Madeline Vance	http://madelinemarievance.blogspot.com/
•                McKayla Nicole Hess	http://smilingfamilies.blogspot.com/
•                Michael Watts	http://someviewsonlife.blogspot.com/
•                Olivia Welch	http://thestrongestalliance.blogspot.com/
•                Patrick Williams	http://patrickallenwilliams.blogspot.com/
•                Rachel Blaylock	http://4everfamiles.blogspot.com/
•                Rachel Escobar	http://raebar92.blogspot.com/
•                Sammi Scott	http://sammischaweet.blogspot.com/
•                Tamara Handa	http://familiiesareforever.blogspot.com/
•                Tina Trepanier	http://tinatrepanier.blogspot.com/
•                Tod Flory	http://familyrelationsbytod.blogspot.com/

"Couples who don't have sex before marriage are happier."

In a study performed by Brigham Young University School of Family Life, a group of over 2,000 married couples were questioned about their relationships, and the impact of sex in their marriages.  It was found that those who waited to have sex until after they were married had stronger, healthier marriages for a number of reasons.  Satisfaction of their relationships, communication strengths, and sexual intimacy improved compared to those that participated in pre marital sex.  What I found most interesting about his study, was that communication skills between spouses who waited to have sex before marriage were better than those who didn't.  The study talked about how sex is a form of communication, and those that waited to have sex were better at communicating because by not having sex, they found other ways to communicate with each other.  This caused them to be better communicators.  In response to the study performed, many readers have said that this study is biased, because it was performed by a University supported by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  How do you feel about this study?  What do you think about sex before marriage?  Do you think that relationships are stronger and healthier when sex is something that happens after marriage?

Family Relations

This semester, I have started taking a class about Family Relations.  I am excited to share with you all of my findings, and the things that I learn and adapt to my life.  I hope that we will enjoy the things that I share, and incorporate them into your life as well!

Dating

As individuals, we find ourselves looking for that special someone, our soul mate, our companion, the one that we will be with forever.  During this journey, we may experience love, as well as heartache.  I believe that we must take risks in order to find happiness.  Someone once said that it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.  While some may disagree with this statement, I think that it contains some truth to it.  While all of us at some point may experience loss, disappointment, rejection, betrayal, or even a broken heart, we do not need to feel like that forever.  We never know who will come in to our lives next.  Life goes on with or without us, so we might as well keep up.  The quote below from the movie The Holiday provides some interesting insights that I thought you might benefit from.
  
"I understand feeling as small and as insignificant as humanly possible. And how it can actually ache in places you didn't know you had inside you. And it doesn't matter how many new haircuts you get, or gyms you join, or how many glasses of chardonnay you drink with your girlfriends... you still go to bed every night going over every detail and wonder what you did wrong or how you could have misunderstood. And how in the hell for that brief moment you could think that you were that happy. And sometimes you can even convince yourself that he'll see the light and show up at your door. And after all that, however long all that may be, you'll go somewhere new. And you'll meet people who make you feel worthwhile again. And little pieces of your soul will finally come back. And all that fuzzy stuff, those years of your life that you wasted, that will eventually begin to fade." -Iris Simpkins, The Holiday

Service

I had an interesting experience while I was at work last week.  As some of you may know, I work at a grocery story part time while attending Brigham Young University Idaho.  As I was helping a customer with their groceries, we engaged in small talk, and the topic of the holidays came up.  He told me that he was only home for a short time, that he was in the army, and that he would be returning to Iraq in the near future.  I have a great amount of respect for those that serve our country, which caused me to try and think of something meaningful to say to him.  I proceeded to thank him for his service, and he simply replied, "no problem."  I was caught off guard at his response.  What he was doing for me, you, and everyone else in this country was something significant.  It struck me that his response was so simple.  It caused me to think about the great sacrifices that are made in our behalf.  Do we realize what others are doing for us?  Are we grateful for their efforts?