Insights

I recently asked my grown children, “What is your favorite family tradition”? They responded quickly with a proclamation that I had them say each morning before they went off to school. As they all chanted it in unison, I thought about how important the traditions we begin, and carry on with our children are for their foundation in life. One of my boys piped up about our tradition of going out to eat on Christmas Eve super late and blessing the waitress who is having to work that night. Another talked about family dinners and saying “highs and lows” each night. We talked about the Birthday Blessing Bear, Taco Bell after Passover, making Challah bread every Friday and singing “As the Mountains Surround Jerusalem '' with their names inserted in the song each night at bedtime.

I wish I could sit with each of you and hear about the traditions that your family celebrates. I love hearing how each family endeavors to build family unity and where they place the importance of family renewal. In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families, Stephen Covey says, “The repeating patterns of family renewal are called traditions. Family traditions include rituals and celebrations and meaningful events that you do in your family. They help you understand who you are: that you are a part of a family that is a strong unit, that you love one another, that you respect and honor one another, that you celebrate one another’s birthday and special events and make positive memories for everybody. Through traditions you reinforce the connections of the family.”

We are a family here at Logos Prep as well and the traditions that we celebrate together help us feel connected, supported and loved. Our 7-12th graders just returned from their annual retreat sharing stories of all God had done and demonstrating the blessings of new connections made. This morning was ROAR! for the K-6th graders where we worshiped together loudly, ate donuts and leaned in to hear what the Lord had to say through the principals. Next week we will join hearts to celebrate our Grandparents with breakfast, lunch and football game traditions. There will be many additional opportunities to celebrate traditions at Logos Prep this year.  Look for ways to engage with us in those traditions and help strengthen your family, the family of Logos Prep and the family of God that is the bigger picture we are all a part of.

In His word, the Lord encourages us over and over again to use the traditions that accompany events to help us remember who and whose we are.  He tells Adam and Eve to rest on the seventh day and teaches Israel the importance of honoring Shabbat each week. He lays out feasts and festivals and gives instructions on how they are to be celebrated every year so the traditions you incorporate as you celebrate them remind you about the Lord’s faithfulness to His people.

2 Thessalonians 2:15 says, “So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.” The traditions Paul is speaking about here are derived from the Word of God. As believers, I think it is important that we focus our family traditions around the impact they will have on our connectedness to each other and to the Lord. 
Traditions should enrich your family life and renew your family connections.  Maybe you have lots of traditions passed on from your parents and grandparents or maybe you are the tree-trunk beginning to grow traditions from the ground up. Ask the Lord what traditions are worth keeping and what traditions need to be started to strengthen your immediate family, your LP family and the family of God. Ask Him what traditions will help lay a foundation for your children of feeling connected to the Lord, to each other and to the family of God.

Becky Ross
Primary Education Principal
Logos Preparatory Academy