The Power of Tradition

Yesterday D1 shared a story with me that I want to pass on. For years they have awakened their family at 6:00 in the morning for family prayer. It is so much a tradition that it is habit.

Well, awhile back D1 was awakened at 3:00 in the morning by a sick child. Again, over the years, the “tradition” has evolved that when this happens she takes care of the sick child, washing him up, getting him something for the sick tummy, etc. while her husband takes care of cleaning up the soiled bedding. So when she was awakened she began to care for the sick boy and called to her husband to take care of the bedroom. She finished helping her son but when she took him back to bed there was no sign of SIL1 (son-in-law 1) so she stripped the bed and did what needed to be done all the time wondering where her husband was.

Finally she got her son in bed and went back to her bedroom, thinking her husband must not have gotten up. But SIL1 was not in bed. She began searching through the house and finally found him in the living room, kneeling at the couch. “What are you doing?” she asked.

“Didn’t you call me to get up for prayer?” he replied.

She was laughing so hard she had a hard time going back to sleep. But the story has a great message about the power of habit and tradition in our lives. Too often we only think and talk about breaking bad habits, but good habits can direct our lives and the lives of our children in wonderful ways.