The Most Important Place On Earth

I am currently reading the book The Most Important Place On Earth: What A Christian Home Looks Like and How To Build One by Robert Wolgemuth.

Here are some things that stood out for me:

From Chapter 2: A God Place... God lives in your home. What does this mean?

From the time children are small, they need to hear you say something like, "Wow, would you look at that sunset? God is such a great artist!" Or you can stop to watch ants following each other in a continuous single-file parade along the sidewalk: "Can you believe that God gave these little critters the ability to follow each other to the food? Isn't He amazing?" In our home, we didn't belabor the point and try to draw some three-point conclusion or recite a Bible verse; we just left it at that. Our children and yours can get the idea that God is a part of our lives when we mention Him in everyday conversation.

From Chapter 3: The Most Important People In The Most Important Place... What's it like to walk into your home?

This parenting thing is serious business, and there's no one on earth in a better position - or better qualified - than you and me to do it right. What good is it if the most important person in the world walks into an empty house? If there is a way for either one of you to be there with your children when they're small... to be home when your kids' feet cross the threshold... then do it. You do not get a do-over.

When our Missy was in third grade, her teacher asked the students what their favourite thing was about their mothers. Missy could have mentioned a number of wonderful things that my wife had done for her. But when it was her turn, she told her class that the best thing about her mother was "When I come home from school, my Mom says 'Hi, Missy.'" The daunting list of sacrifices, favorite toys bought, school room-mother activites, and homemade Halloween costumes didn't make it to the number-one spot. It was just "Hi, Missy." See what counts to your child? It's your presence. That doesn't sound too complicated, does it?

From Chapter 4: Amazing Grace... It's what sets your home apart.

In a Christian home there's something special. It's called grace. Grace is the one thing that sets your home apart from all the rest. A Christian home is a place adorned by people of grace. It's a place where grace is conspicuous, a place where the "scoreboard" that compares a stellar performance to a substandard one is unplugged. Fill your Christian home - the most important place on earth - with repentance and forgiveness, gratitude, tenderness, and generosity. Amazing grace.

Truly words of wisdom... now, on to reading more of the book.