The Heart of the Family: Laughter and Tears from a Real Family

A funny, poignant, and moving look at the nature of family life.

Families are funny. They can be sheer heaven or they can be—well, less than heavenly. One thing is for sure, though. The happiest of family members will readily concede that tears are as essential as laughter if we are to survive the dramatic peaks and troughs of close human interaction. This is no less true when love is unconditional and there is a real generosity of spirit in those concerned.

Through fiction and fact, poetry and prose, this book opens the lid of family life and invites the reader to explore the richly varied and entertaining events and characters that he or she will discover there. This collection of homely treasures will certainly make us smile, and there is a very good chance that some of them will make us cry.

The book is divided into seven sections:
• The problem with perfection
• Communication—a crucial factor in family life
• The patterns of family life
• Priorities—which can be tricky
• The power of the past to influence us
• The death of loved ones
• The Father’s love—most important of all

As you will see in the course of this book, this is as true in the family of the church as it is anywhere else. The heart of the family is love, and at the heart of love you will find God.