Week 8: Financial Stewardship and Intergenerational Ties

Hello All!

Some cool stuff this week.

Financial Stewardship:

* Maintain a broad vision. Financial resources are means, not ends.
* The way we spend our money reflects our basic values.
* If there is anything we own that we could not take into the street and burn, we care about material possessions too much. (Pres. Kimball?)
* Money problems are often behavior problems.
* Live within your means. Pay tithing first, and set a little aside in savings consistently. Avoid risky speculation.
* Always give thanks to God for the things He has given you. Put Him first, have faith, and He will take care of you.

I've been thinking alot about families in these difficult economic times, and it struck me the other day how beautiful it is that we have families. What an incredible support unit! If another great depression were to hit the US and we all lost our jobs, I know that we could pull together and live together and do the best we can to get by, maybe working part-time and taking shifts to forage or take care of the kids. We may have to sacrifice comfort and pride and self-sufficiency, but because we love each other we'll always pull through! Come what may.

Intergenerational Ties:

Grandparents are like the National Coast Guard; waiting offshore for signs of distress in their families, rushing in in uniform to pull the strugglers from the water, helping them get back on their feet, and quietly putting away the uniform once all is well.

The proclamation teaches us that the extended family has a responsibility to help in times of trouble. Grandma and Grandpa Cummings were excellent examples of this, and I love them for it. :)

Principles for strengthening adult-child relationships:

* Parents should be genuinely concerned but not over-involved
* Parents should avoid favoring individual children in the family
* Parents and children should be willing to forgive each other of past mistakes
* Adult children should provide opportunities for grandchildren to develop close relationships with grandparents
* Adult children should allow their aging parents to be independent as long as possible, but offer assistance when needed
~ Strengthening Our Families