52 Weeks of Fun Family Service,
by Merrilee Boyack
Merrilee Boyack has done it again! The author of The Parenting Breakthrough and Strangling Your Husband is NOT an Option has brought us yet another way to enhance our family lives in the delightfully readable and easily practicable52 Weeks of Fun Family Service.
Whether you are new to the idea of family service projects, or already incorporate a great deal of service into your family life, 52 Weeks of Fun Family Service can help inspire you and guide you to ways to touch the lives of others and strengthen your own family in the process. Sister Boyack opens the book with a brief discussion of the benefits of service for the servers. Covering how the chance to serve touches both the individual and the family as a whole, she gives special attention to the benefits of service for children, how it can teach them certain eternal truths like nothing else can–and how it can be fun! From there, she starts us at the very basics, like cultivating an attitude of service in our home, setting a good example, and growing our family’s awareness of the very real needs in the world. At the end of her introduction, Sister Boyack reminds us:
And remember one thing: it is all about love. All of this. It’s all about love. Loving our children. Loving our brohers and sisters, wherever they are. We merely need to follow our Savior’s call: “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this, shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:34-35).
from p.36
With love in our hearts and our family’s well-being on our mind, Sister Boyack turns us loose with 52 fantastic ideas for service projects. Each idea includes modifications for teens or tots, if neeeded, as well as family discussion starters and Family Home Evening ideas. They range from reaching out to one single person who might be in need of a little extra love to helping provide materials for the Primary in a ward far overseas.
52 Weeks of Fun Family Service will inspire and motivate you to fortify your family by reaching together, both within and beyond the walls of your home, to grow your love and make a difference in the lives of others.
February 19th, 2008 15:59
Now, I must confess that I am something of a Merrilee devotee. I first read “…NOT An Option,” and to say that it changed my marriage would not do it justice. In those pages, Merrilee showed me how to change things about myself that then changed not only my marriage, but almost every aspect of my life–for the better. Then, I learned about “The Parenting Breakthrough” at a Time Out for Women event, where, as Sister Boyack’s talk on parenting wore on and my pencil wore dull as I was pretty much writing down her talk verbatim in my attempt to take notes, a wicked case of writer’s cramp set in, and I stood up right there in the middle of her talk and walked over to the tables to buy the book. I needed it. My kids needed it. And we are all grateful that I bought it! If you have not checked these books out yet, please know that not only do they carry my highest recommendation, I consider them part of my own personal ‘essential library,’ as they have brought so much to my life.
February 20th, 2008 10:06
This sounds like a great book! Thanks for giving us the heads-up about it. I love how her style combines practical ideas with solid doctrinal foundations. And a lot of fun along the way.
February 24th, 2008 22:00
I had not heard of these books. Funny, my husband and I were talking about needing to put more service into our family’s life. I’ll have to check it out - thanks for the heads up.
February 25th, 2008 07:54
Texasblu,
Interesting that you and your husband were just talking about this. I’d definitely check out the book. The first section is a fairly quick read, but is also super-inspiring and will go a long was for you and your husband in really determining to pursue more service as a family. And the ideas are sooo creative. Yeah, it’ll be a great time all around for you guys. Then, of course there’s her other books, as I mentioend in my comment above. Simply put, they rocked my world. Enjoy!
Michelle,
I know! You can’t beat it–very practical (practicable), strong doctrinal foundation, and super fun. I can just see your kids mobilizing on some of these projects!