Reclaiming the Family Dinner Table with Paula Deen's editor Alyce Head!

Hey friends! It has been a couple of weeks since I have blogged. I had surgery to put in two pins to fix my wrist on March 15th and I have finally learned how to type in a cast! The surgery went well but I covet your prayers for healing . I stay in the cast for eight more weeks and then more surgery to remove the pins . Then three-four months of physical therapy.

Last week, our group was so blessed to host the one, the only and my hero, Alyce Head.  Anyone who knows Alyce knows that when God was giving out gifts, she was in the very front of the line! She paints, she cooks, she sews. She is also working for Paula Deen's magazine.  She loves the Lord with such passion and she uses her creative gifts and energy to encourage women to make their home a place of blessing to all who dwell there.

Our main topic was the importance of the family dinner table in today's rushed and hurried world.
Alyce shared lots of statistics with us concerning the importance of healthy communication at the family dinner table.  Children who don't have a safe and secure place to share their hearts are much more likely to commit suicide, have a child outside of marriage, have eating disorders and have problems with drug and alcohol abuse.  Regular family meal times produce emotionally healthy children, better communication skills, higher self-esteem and better performance in school work.  They also learn some wonderful etiquette and table manners!

Alyce reminded us that the most important thing was getting everyone together.Do not stress over the meals or you will fail at developing this tradition. The meals do not have to be new every week or elegant.  She suggested that we set a regular menu such as taco bar night, pizzas, hamburgers, soup and sandwiches, breakfast for dinner and pasta.  Keep the pantry stocked and know ahead of time what will be for dinner that night. If you have a ball game, then pack sandwiches and have a meal together at the ballpark!  This is also SO much healthier!

As we have talked about before, we are really in a fight against the modern culture.  Society no longer values the  traditional family.  If America is going to survive as a nation, families have to survive.  If the enemy of our souls can get us convinced that we don't have time to sit down once a day with each other, we are going to lose the battle. Our children need to know that the world and it's values may be spinning out of control, but mama and daddy will be at the table at dinnertime and there will be a good supper, good conversation and lots of life-giving encouragement. Giving your children this kind of stability is a gift and a legacy.


There are also many games that can be played at the table.  Scripture cards can be placed there and memorized. Prayer can be caught and taught at the table.  Discipleship will take place as you discuss what happens each day.

My challenge for today: What does your dinnertime look like? What can you do to improve it and make it a blessing to your family?