No, it’s not Christmas in the picture. Just looks like it.

When most people say “One Big Happy Family!”, I say “One Small Happy Family… One Big Happy God!”

Why? Two things. I really have a small family - one wife and two daughters. We’re looking forward to a couple more kids to bring the total to six but still that’s a small family. Some of you may argue that family extends to other relatives as well. I agree. However, at this point I just wish to focus on my own small domain. What for? So I may see the greatness of God. The one who gave me the family I now cherish.

I will be the worst hypocrite on the planet if I would claim that we don’t have problems and feuds. Honestly, we have them all the time. From little misunderstandings to gargantuan fights. Yes, we have them but it doesn’t mean that God is not in the center of our family for after each trouble, we acknowledge God’s greatness as to how we find the solutions and come to agreements. Learn from this - the secret to keep your family centered on God is GOD Himself.

Fathers, take note of this. We as fathers are the priests of our house. It is our obligation to bring our family to a proper relationship with God. It is our duty to stand firm. It is on our shoulders that God has placed the mandate to make sure that the family He entrusted to us will remain intact, and God-fearing - NO MATTER WHAT. It is upto us to teach and preach the Word of God in our very own household. If something goes wrong, God will most certainly put the blame on us. Furthermore, it is upto us to fill our homes with love - first by loving God above all, second by loving our wives as we love ourselves, and third by loving our children. It is our obligation to love our wives no matter what their attitude is. We were commanded to LOVE and that we must do. Also, always be careful not to provoke your children nor your wives to anger.

Mothers, remember this. It is your duty to teach submission and obedience to your children by submitting first to God and next to your husbands. Don’t keep on grudging on how your husband has not loved you. Whether your husband loves you or not, it is your obligation to submit. The only reason for you not to submit is when your husband tells you to commit sin. Other than that, you must submit at all times. How could you expect to have obedient children if yourself do not know how to submit? If you think you have a better idea than what your husband has, then try to suggest BUT DO NOT FORCE your husbands to follow what you want. If something goes wrong, God will not blame you because you simply did what God said - to submit to your husband. Keep this in mind - NEVER COMPETE with your husband. Rather, SUBMIT to your husbands.

Children, put this in your heart and do it. Honor your father and you mother. Always obey them unless they tell you to commit a sin against any man or against God. If you do this then God will most certainly bless you. If your parents aren’t good enough in taking care of you, if they hurt you, if they shout at you, if they disown you, if they do all sorts of evil against you, JUST PRAY. Do not avenge yourself for the things they did. Learn to forgive. Any evil done against you is NOT AN EXCUSE for you to do evil against them. If they did evil against you, let God avenge you. But you must not do or even think of anything evil against your parents. You must learn to forgive them and love them no matter who they are.

Yes, this is what we do as a family. This is the reason why my family remains happy. This is the reason why God remains big in our lives. Learn to forgive, learn to understand, learn to give, learn to LOVE. Pray for each other and pray together. Read the Bible and meditate on it - it is the Word of God. Be conscious in all things that you do. Never keep hatred in your heart. Never leave discussions unsettled. Most of all, to anything you and your family achieves, always give GOD all the glory. Thank Him at all times.

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.