My Family Culture

The three items that would represent our culture and mean the most us as a family are as follows:

1.   Our family bible because it represents our religious beliefs.  Chances are we will go to a country that has different religious views and follow the readings from their own bible for example the Quran.  As parents we want to be able to continue to teach our child the important lessons that have always been our intention as parents and in order to help us do that we need bible.  It is the basis for our beliefs and provides the foundation for our family.

2.   The American Flag that my husband hanged every morning on the front of our house.  We are extremely proud to and grateful to be Americans.  Our government may not always things that benefit everyone in our country.  Compared to other countries we are privileged to have the rights we do.  The freedom of speech and our freedom of religion are just two pieces of our country that make this a great country to live in.  We may not be able to fly it outside and broadcast our love of being American but no matter where we go it doesn't change the fact that our roots are American.  Even if we keep it in drawer out of sight we as a family know that it is there and it can provide us with the constant reminder of where we came from and how we began in the land of the free. 

3.   The photo album that has all the pictures of our family dating back to the day my husband and I got married and followed through our journey with baby pictures of all our children and all the important milestones we wanted to remember forever.  Memories are special to our family and allow us to reminisce the special times and events.  A few examples are pictures of each of our children's' Dedication Ceremonies at the church were my husband and I thank God for giving us these children but that we give them to him so he can help us guide them in the ways of the church.  The pictures following their births when they were so innocent and pure and as they grow the pictures can be shown to others so they can get a feeling for the love we have for each other as a family.  When the children grow up and question "where did I come from?" we can show them through pictures their early years and the milestones they may not remember without the reminder. 

When faced with having to choose just one our special belongings I know for a fact it will be extremely difficult to decide on just one item.  With thought and consideration we would not want to offend the people of the country that was gracious enough to take our family in we would be willing to give up our American Flag.  We as parents know where we came from and tell our children story about the great country of our origin our country.  Not know the religious views of the new country we may need to give up our bible.  Not having the bible it does not change our religious views and how we would like to raise our children as Christians that believe in God.  We can teach them the importance of prayer and how to be kind, truthful, giving, and grow into adults that know the difference between right and wrong.  Taking the bible will take away the verses we have memorized and place in our hearts.  By taking the bible they cannot take God away from us just a material item.  The item that we mean the most us as a family would be the pictures that cannot be replaced.  It provides us reminders of our life and can remind us all our milestones that might otherwise be forgotten.

The exercise really made me aware of what is truly important.  If we were to lose the material items as a result of a disaster the important thing is that my family is safe.  Without them my life would never be the same.  We can always replace memories by make new memories and we can replace material items but we cannot replace the member so f our family because they are irreplaceable.