Friday, March 19, 2010

90 Days of Wisdom: Day 76

Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife. (Proverbs 17:1)

The tale of two households:

1: Dad pulls up to a small house driving an old car. His children run out the front door to meet him in the driveway. They walk inside and find the aroma of chicken, okra, mashed potatoes, and Mom's homemade biscuits. The table is not draped with a tablecloth, but placemats spot where each person will eat. There is no fine china at the table; in fact, the dishes are mismatched and some of them are chipped. Different styles of stainless silverware are at each setting. The family holds hands, Dad asks the blessing, and they dig in. Laughter fills the house as each family member recounts their day. The love this family has for each other is obvious.

2. Dad pulls up to his mansion located in a gated community. He steps out of his new BMW and kicks the cat out of the way as he attempts to get in the door. No one comes to meet him. They are all in their rooms, watching their private TVs, playing with their personalized Playstations or Wiis. At dinner time, the family gathers in the formal dining room where a long table is eloquently draped and set with fine china, crystal, and gold-plated silverware. Dinner has been ordered out--again--due to Mom's hectic schedule. It's Tuesday, so Chili's to-go is their menu. Dad sits down and eats as fast as possible, obviously preoccupied with other things. Mom has a face like a hatchet as she is sure her husband is fooling around with his secretary. The teen-aged kids sit stone-faced, eat, and say nothing unless it is sarcastic and cutting.

Which of these homes would you rather live in?

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