Family first

Yes of course.  Who could say otherwise?  But I get uneasy when politicians suddenly decide to put families and family togetherness up in lights – as if one should be patted on the head for doing what simply comes naturally.  It seems to me that we live much of our lives trying to deal with competing visions, aspirations and responsibilities .. things where one ultimately cannot hope to declare a sort of ‘pecking order’.  Working out of the relationship between vocation/ministry and family life is certainly like that – and so is much of the work/life/family life balance.  And I’m happy with that.  Happier too with people who moderately successfully struggle with those tensions than with people who single-mindedly do one thing and let everything else go.  And so far as children are concerned, which is the better role model and preparation for adult life?