[Cindi]

When I was growing up there was a t.v. show called The Waltons based on a family living in rural America approximately during the 1940's. It had three generations of a family living under one roof. The culture of that time seemed to reflect a mutual respect and valuing of all the family members. Today's culture seems to reflect a more segregated family lifestyle and a lessened respect and valuing of all the family members.

With that in mind, what does it mean to you to be elderly in today's culture? What should be one's responsibility to their elderly family members, especially if they have health issues?

Originally Posted by Cindi

When I was growing up there was a t.v. show called The Waltons based on a family living in rural America approximately during the 1940's. It had three generations of a family living under one roof. The culture of that time seemed to reflect a mutual respect and valuing of all the family members. Today's culture seems to reflect a more segregated family lifestyle and a lessened respect and valuing of all the family members.

With that in mind, what does it mean to you to be elderly in today's culture? What should be one's responsibility to their elderly family members, especially if they have health issues?

I think it is our responsibility to take care of our elders when they cant do it anymore..Move em in and care for them like they cared for you. The waltons did many things not done anymore. like eating as a family..and remember at night time they would all say good nite really loud through the house..

Not many families like that anymore..But there should be


Good night john boy

[Amadeus]

Yes, good nite Johnboy!

[Dewayne]

I also agree, we are to take care of our elders, I;m 46 with lung problems, and my mom and dad still come over and do all they can for me and my family, When its my time it will a blessing for me to take care of my elderly parents, I wished they would make more shows like the waltons, and I also like walker texes ranger, Chuck Noris is a good christan man.

[Cindi]

Thanks for your responses, guys. Daniel and Dewayne, you both said that we should bring our elders into our homes. Do you have any ideas about when or how we should go about that? I'm thinking particularly of how we as a society have become so independent and mobile. Very few of us seem to live in the same town as our parents and grandparents anymore.

Daniel, I also liked your comment that not many families are like the Waltons anymore, but we should be. Do you have any thoughts about what changes we could initiate? Should it be all on us only as family members or is there a role for the church in this?

Originally Posted by Cindi

Thanks for your responses, guys. Daniel and Dewayne, you both said that we should bring our elders into our homes. Do you have any ideas about when or how we should go about that? I'm thinking particularly of how we as a society have become so independent and mobile. Very few of us seem to live in the same town as our parents and grandparents anymore.

Daniel, I also liked your comment that not many families are like the Waltons anymore, but we should be. Do you have any thoughts about what changes we could initiate? Should it be all on us only as family members or is there a role for the church in this?

Well I think it starts in the individual homes and pours out into the church buildings. Familys need to make commitments to the simple things.
Teaching Gods word at home.
Eating meals at the same table
Playing with the kids even tho you have work to do
Showing our elders that their wisdom is needed in our homes.

But I feel this must start in the home.

[Cindi]

Hi Daniel, I am really impressed by your emphasis that care for all family members (like I observed in the Waltons) should begin in the home and then get extended into our worshiping communities. I really agree with you. My concern is that it seems to me that so much today it is done in reverse or worse yet, that we are turning our family responsibilities over to "outside agencies" e.g. hospitals, nursing homes, senior living communities. I think our children are really going to miss out on alot of joy and conncectedness by not having their grandparents/great grandparents around them.

[walkinthespirit]

Originally Posted by Dewayne

I also agree, we are to take care of our elders, I;m 46 with lung problems, and my mom and dad still come over and do all they can for me and my family, When its my time it will a blessing for me to take care of my elderly parents, I wished they would make more shows like the waltons, and I also like walker texes ranger, Chuck Noris is a good christan man.

hello!!! can you hear me brother dewayne? I'm yelling from Canada, hello can you hear me? YOU ARE HEALED IN THE NAME OF JESUS!!!!! CLAIM YOUR HEALING!!! YOU NO LONGER HAVE LUNG PROBLEMS!!! quit cursing yourself!!!
YOU ARE HEALED IN THE NAME OF JESUS!!!

nite MaryAllen

[johnpaulpeter]

Originally Posted by Dewayne

I also agree, we are to take care of our elders, I;m 46 with lung problems, and my mom and dad still come over and do all they can for me and my family, When its my time it will a blessing for me to take care of my elderly parents, I wished they would make more shows like the waltons, and I also like walker texes ranger, Chuck Noris is a good christan man.

Waltons ? Walker, Texas Ranger ? They are absolutely so politically INcorrect you'll have the libs in this board on the warpath !!

[johnpaulpeter]

It's the sign of the times, guys !
In my country, the Philippines, it is expected that if a son or daughter makes good in life, he/she is to "look back" and remember the old folks, and make sure they are comfortable in their old days.
Not anymore, though.
That is not to say the "tradition", if you want to call it that, has gone away, like it seems here in the States, but, it's dying.
You see, if we take a close look at that commandment, "honor thy father and mother", it is not necessarily saying be courteous, respectful, polite, or such to them, because these are things that should come naturally to children towards their parents.
"Honor" thy father and mother means they should prosper as well as their children prosper. That is honor. That is saying, "hey dad, mom, you all took care of us to the best of your abilities, or we owe our being here to you, and now we want to return the favor. We want you to know, we've done well in life, we've kept the values you taught, we have kept the family name in good standing, and now, we want to care for you, because we love you".

My stepmom took care of my grandfather until the day he died, even when he was unbearable because of his alzheimer's and senility. My younger brother took care of an aunt, same sex enthusiast and practitioner, and we both shared in her hospital and funeral expenses.

But it's the sign of the times, you know.

My generation, the baby boomers, did not have drug addicted parents, like many baby boomers and the generation after them are. The generation before me valued stuff like virginity, hard work, hard study, God, church, country.

Look at today's generation. They burn the American flag, think of it as merely a symbol. Their country goes to war, and they say they support the troops, but call the war these troops are fighting as unjust, cruel, and so on and clamor for the return of troops, never mind the blood ALREADY shed.

Look at today's generation. How many of these parents take their children to church ? How many of those who take their children to church talk of other "sinning" members and their "stupid" pastor and his "stupid" message over the dinner table ?

Drugs stay in your system, and when parents do drugs, they pass on the result of that addiction to their children. I suspect there are many children who already had the bite of addiction in them from birth.

Sad.