By definition an embassy ‘is the official resident of an ambassador’. It’s also the place where an out of country traveler can find safety if need be. A safe haven for the people there. My hubby and I desire for our home to be an embassy.
A place where you are safe and free to be you. A place to let your guard down, to put your cozy clothes on and rest in the comforts of home. A place where the hurts and stresses of the day can be left at the door or shared freely without judgement. A place where there is shelter from the storms of life.
This is the kind of place my hubby and I want our kids to be able to call home.
How do you create an embassy?
Here is how we have begun to build our home as an embassy:
Always tell our kids we love them
In good times and bad we let our kids know that they are loved.
Constant Communication
A lot happens in our kids day and we strive to create an atmosphere where they can be free to talk about their day. We catch them in the car, dinner time, while doing homework, at bedtime and allow them to share what’s on their mind.
A lot happens in our kids day and we strive to create an atmosphere where they can be free to talk about their day. We catch them in the car, dinner time, while doing homework, at bedtime and allow them to share what’s on their mind.
Ask to join in their games
Our kids can very easily get caught up in their own little world of play. My hubby and I ask our kids if we can join in their games…to play dolls, school, video games, card games, legos, etc. It gives us a chance to spend time with them and get a view into their world.
Snuggle time
Our family loves to snuggle and my hubby and I cherish these moments. Snuggle time is a very tangible way to let our kids know that we care about them.
Pray together
We pray at dinner, in the car, at bedtime. We have recently begun teaching our kids to share prayer requests to get them thinking about the people and things in our lives. Praying together has also let our kids know God cares for them.
Hugs..lots of hugs
Another tangible way to express our love to our kids, and to let them know that we are here for them to lean on.
Another tangible way to express our love to our kids, and to let them know that we are here for them to lean on.
Family sticks together because we are a team
In a recent after school conversation my sweet boy made a passing comment on how some of our blonde sweet girl’s friends were calling him names and his sister was sometimes joining in. I had steam coming out of my ears and my eyes begun to swell with tears as I could feel my heart beating in rapid motion. If there is one thing I despise it’s this..you would expect the world to call you names but not your family, especially in public. As calmly as possible I asked my daughter what had happened and she confirmed her brother’s story.
Family before friends. Always. Period. From that moment, we have been reinforcing that we are a team. Teammates stick together, stand up for one another, look out for each other and are united.
In a recent after school conversation my sweet boy made a passing comment on how some of our blonde sweet girl’s friends were calling him names and his sister was sometimes joining in. I had steam coming out of my ears and my eyes begun to swell with tears as I could feel my heart beating in rapid motion. If there is one thing I despise it’s this..you would expect the world to call you names but not your family, especially in public. As calmly as possible I asked my daughter what had happened and she confirmed her brother’s story.
Family before friends. Always. Period. From that moment, we have been reinforcing that we are a team. Teammates stick together, stand up for one another, look out for each other and are united.
This home is a shelter from the storms of life
The moment you walk through the front door you are in a safe haven. Nothing and no one can hurt you here.
Be on the lookout for intruders
Sometimes people or things try to enter into the embassy that compromise the safe haven. Things like friends that may not be the best influence, negative or hurtful things that may be spoken. My hubby and I are on guard and always ready to deal with these things as they arise.
Proof that we are constantly working at this. I had to take this picture several times to be able to capture the right moment. In this real life moment a sister giving her brother a little hit to say you are squeezing me to hard. 🙂
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