..the drift from the hearth and the family.

“THE old order has been reversed. The people, instead of surveying the world from their doorsteps, survey their mortgaged doorsteps through a vague and hazy mental screen compounded by international misunderstanding and national mistrust…. The disintegration of rational society started in the drift from the hearth and the family; the solution must be a drift back.” ~GKC: ‘G.K.’s Weekly,’ 30 March 1933.

From the GK Chesterton page on Facebook today.  It struck me as this also came up in the morning devotional with Becky.  Fight for the family.  Viva la resistance.

It is overwhelming to see the "state of the world".  You feel powerless to change any of it.  Although I'm pretty sure every age has said - "kids these days", "in my day we .............., not like today".  And (as my wife pointed out) every generation has its issues.

"Nostalgia ain't what it used to be"

I think the key thing is the "drift back" to the hearth and the family.  Be the force moving back.  Not just standing where you are but steadily moving back to where we should be.  Don't worry about fighting every battle, certainly support your friends and those who are fighting their battles, and also focus on your own.  Working through the PC-USA issues is a current battlefront for me and our church.  I appreciate friend's support, but I do not expect them to become members of our church if they aren't already.  They have their own battles also.  Support them so that they do not fall without being absent to your own home (there's my struggle).

Not immediately obvious, this trend away from family and hearth is also making us more isolated.  That we can do all things within our own house is a lie.  We have an exchange of date night & babysitting with some friends.  I like that.  I enjoy the date night, I enjoy being able to let them get a night away and keep the strength in their marriage.