I began a tradition with my daughters a long time ago, when they were preschool age, to make Saturday mornings a time for a trip to Donutland for donuts. Of course as they got in to high school and college, it wasn't as easy to make those trips, however, now that the oldest daughter is married and has a son and Bridgette lives nearby, Saturday mornings in Iowa for us have once again become "Dad takes the order from the rest of the family" and off I go to Donutland to bring back "sugar cake gold" and Starbucks and both are non-negotiable. Don't come back with just one or the other.....or don't come back:)
This particular Saturday morning was different. My trip started much earlier due the family wanting to get up early to watch the USA Hockey team play Russia in the Olympics which began at 6:30am. So I was up by 6am, started the car to let it warm up since it was minus 1 degrees (oh how I miss winter in Iowa) and then took off to Donutland. This is the same Donutland I used to take the girls when they were little. I'm SO thankful they haven't gone out of business.
I get back to see my little grandson in his high chair eating banana slices and he yells out "Papa!". This is one of my joys of being a grand-parent. I told him I brought donuts home and in his 1 1/2 year old language tried to say donuts, which was pretty funny, and then he wanted papa to pick him up. Bananas were no longer on his agenda.
The tradition of Saturday trips to Donutland has now been firmly passed on to my daughter, son-in-law and grandson:) And it was "icing on the cake", pun intended (that was for you Matt Fowler), that the USA defeated Russia, followed by our entire family chanting, yes even the grandson, "USA, USA, USA" all together as the puck went into the net on that last shot of the shootout.
Is there anything better than seeing family traditions lived out and passed down to the next generation? My daughter Larissa posted it on her Facebook that morning.
In his book "The Smart Stepdad" Ron L. Deal says this: "Traditions are important because they tell us who we are (ie., provide a sense of identity), give us solid anchors on which we can depend, and give security to the future. When traditions clash between stepfamily insiders and outsiders, it shakes these foundations and generates insecurity." Deal goes on to say, "Older and adult stepchildren have a strong vested interest in preserving family traditions. It doesn't feel like "going home" if they can't count on certain traditions taking place. Make changes very slowly!"
Traditions are so important that they can dramatically affect divorced and remarried families to cause even more stress and especially when a step-parent wants to make a change in those traditions.
Something as simple as donuts may not be that big of a deal to some, but to our family, it's one tradition we enjoy doing together. So whether you have a family who has never been through divorce or you have been, traditions can be a very good thing to build on and to pass down to the next generation.
If Ron Deal is correct when he says, "Traditions are important because they tell us who we are(ie., provide a sense of identity), give us solid anchors on which we can depend, and give security to the future", THIS is one of the reasons why the verses in Deuteronomy 6:5-9 are so important to your family. The "tradition" of passing down this belief to your children. A "solid anchor on which we can depend that gives us security to the future."
Deuteronomy 6:5-9 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. 7 Repeat them to your children Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
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