WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOUR HOME CULTURE HAS BEEN INVADED
Last night my entire family joined in the Feast of Dedication, or Festival of Lights. We gathered for dinner and enjoyed a large family home evening.
We kicked off the evening with Pa and Alivia making Navajo Tacos. This is our yearly tradition as we fry them in olive oil which celebrates the miracle of Hanukkah: oil that kept the menorah (an ancient lamp) lit for 8 days instead of the 1 day it was supposed to last.
THE INVASION
We then had our family home evening activities: You know how it goes…the typical F. H.E schedule with the opening song, family business, calendaring for the next activity, etc. Then came the practice song! I always look forward to this when my family all sings together. Malissa’s family led us with hand motions for a new favorite song we are trying to memorize.
We then had our yearly Hannukkah lesson. The theme for the night continued from the night before as we had learned how God needs people who will defend his truths. We went through the story focusing this year on how the Greeks invaded Israel and how the Israelites responded. From this invasion, a new culture came about for God’s people and the opposite of His ways. Many were forced to believe and change their worship and traditions, others excepted it seeing no other choice, and only a handful stood up to the new leadership. One family; the Maccabees had enough with the laws of God being changed yelled “Let everyone who has a zeal for the Law and who stands by the covenant follow me!” and off to the hills, he and his family ran. They with a pocketful of others then led a 3-year battle against the King’s army and by miracle won each battle over and over again.
We discussed how we too, can not afford to accept tyranny and that we must be ready to stand as a family no matter the consequences.
OUR CULTURE
We also discussed how in the early 1900’s we too, have been invaded by the Greeks. Our educational system is greek, our amusements, media choices, and music all have been corrupted and there is not much of a look of “Israel” left in us. We have grown up in it and have lost our heritage. Even now we worship and celebrate with pagan roots and rituals, no longer the way God has asked us to do according to scriptures. The story of the Maccabees is our story…and God needs families to do the same and restore culture and defend His ways. Scriptures remind us that if we live His laws, He will then fight our battles for us!
“For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.” Deut. 20:4
“Do not be afraid of them; the LORD your God himself will fight for you.” Deut. 3:22
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” Rom. 8:31
We then lit our Hanukiah and ended our night ATTEMPTING (Did I say attempt- we are not musical at all!) to learn a new song “O Come, O Come Emmanuel. Reminding us that when all seems dark and lost there is one that God will send to save his people. This song was written around the 12th century or earlier. Seems like a perfect song for Israel even now to sing as we wait to be released from bondage.
ISRAEL’S SONG
Oh Come Oh Come Emmanuel
Translated by John Mason Neale and Henry Sloane Coffin
Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appears
Chorus-
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee O Israel
Oh come thou dayspring come and cheer
Our spirits by thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death’s dark shadows put to flight
O come, thou stem (was rod) of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny
From depths of hell thy people save
And give them vict’ry o’er the grave
O come, Thou Key of David, come
And open wide our heavenly home
Make safe the way that leads on high
And close the path to misery
O come, O come, Thou Lord of might
Who to thy tribes, on Sinai’s height
In ancient times did’st give the law
In cloud and majesty and awe
O come thou wisdom from on high
And order all things far and nigh
To us the path of knowledge show
And cause us in her ways to grow
Rejoice, Rejoice Emmanuel
Shall come to thee oh Israel
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Julie
Julie Smith is the Education Director for the Joseph Smith Foundation. She is the former owner of the Glenn J. Kimber Academy in Lehi, Utah. Julie served as a regional trainer—establishing 18 schools in Arizona, Idaho, and Utah. She is a certified teacher for The Thomas Jefferson Center for Constitutional Restoration (TJC) and taught the Making of America seminars written by W. Cleon Skousen and Glenn J. Kimber. Some of her children also traveled across the nation, assisting in teaching during these seminars. Julie taught history and Book of Mormon classes for 10 years. Julie is the mother of 5 children and grandmother to 7. She homeschooled for over 27 years, working through family challenges including pornography addiction, testimony faith crises, and teenage rebellion. She writes and teaches on strengthening the family, working with troubled youth, practically applying the teachings of scripture and the Prophet Joseph Smith, and celebrating higher standards. In her spare time, Julie also enjoys gardening, managing her .5-acre homestead, and hosting Sunday dinners with her family! Her home is a revolving door of guests and friends as her family hosts cultural celebrations and teaching events.
