Balancing Power and the Beauty of Family Councils

I thought the readings paired nicely this week. At first I didn't see the connection but after reading all of the articles and doing some pondering on my own, I see how they go hand in hard. I must admit the article " Who is the Boss? Power Relationships in Families," by Richard B. Miller was an eye opener for myself. As I read the questions that were listed at the the end of the article out loud to my husband as we were traveling this weekend, I stopped in my tracks. I instantly saw that I have some work to do. The balance of power is a little out of whack and most of the issues are my responsibility. I really appreciated the wake- up call and was also very humbled as my husband listened to me and gave me positive feedback on ways we could improve. This brought up the issue of family councils and we enjoyed listening to Elder Eyring's talk"That We May Be One" together as a family. We then had a family council, right there in the car, and came to some agreements about some issues that we needed to solve. It worked wonderfully! I know that Elder Ballard's most recent talk on Family Councils was not part of the reading this week, but it really should be, and I hope it is added to the curriculum in the future. I intend to review this talk with my family on Sunday and make a greater commitment to have these councils on a regular basis. Elder Ballard gives this wise advice and promise if we will heed the counsel to have regular family councils.

"A family council that is patterned after the councils in heaven, filled with Christlike love, and guided by the Lord’s Spirit will help us to protect our family from distractions that can steal our precious time together and protect us from the evils of the world. Combined with prayer, a family council will invite the presence of the Savior, as He promised: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Inviting the Spirit of the Lord to be part of your family council brings blessings beyond description.Finally, please remember that a family council held regularly will help us spot family problems early and nip them in the bud; councils will give each family member a feeling of worth and importance; and most of all they will assist us to be more successful and happy in our precious relationships, within the walls of our homes."

As I thought about this, I realized that one of the best ways to balance the power in a home and marriage relationship is to have frequent councils together, as couples, as families and with our children one on one. When we do this, and do it in ways outlined by our leaders, we can increase the love and understanding in our homes, a place where everyone is heard and everyone feels free to express themselves. When we do this, then real problems can be solved and love can increase.