Daily Encouragement for the Smart StepfamilySample

Get on the Same Page 

Every blended family is a cross-cultural experience. I mean, when you think about it, you’re essentially merging two cultures. Language, traditions, inside jokes, the meaning we attach to certain words and actions…the list could go on. And merging parenting expectations is part of this as well. For example, he always made his kids pick up their toys before coming to the dinner table. She let her kids clean them up after dinner. So who’s right? Which style should they adopt as they merge the two cultures into one? 

Actually, I don’t know the answer. I’ve searched the Scriptures and can’t find a single passage about clean-up time. What I can tell you is this: For the sake of your marriage and your family, the most important thing is that you both end up on the same side. So go ahead and talk, negotiate, and share your perspectives. In the end, choose a path you will both support. And then you’ll have the right answer for your family. 

Father, keep us patient, considerate, and willing to compromise as we move through the process of blending our two cultures into a single, united identity for our family.

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© 2018 by FamilyLife. Excerpted with permission from Daily Encouragement for the Smart Stepfamily by Ron L. Deal with Dianne Neal Matthews, Bethany House Publishers. Get more daily encouragement with this 365-day devotional that will keep your family blending and bonding throughout the year.