Life has changed but not as we hoped. It was predicted at the 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle that by the year 2001 we'll work shorter hours; have more time for art, sports and hobbies; and work only 24 hours a week! It is 2009 and we work longer hours, have less free time and more stress. Wouldn’t it be great if we could rewind to simpler times? In his book Little House on the Freeway Tim Kimmel replies: “Life will never again be like it was when we lived in our quiet little houses on the prairie. We all live too close to the freeway to back away from its reality. Together we enjoy all of the benefits and conveniences of modern living. And together we suffer the inevitable consequences.”

Hurried living has taken its toll on our entire society. It’s greatest impact has been felt in the family. A family is a network of relationships that requires time and patience. Both are hard to come by in the average home today. Instead of being a refuge, many homes feel more like a refugee camp. In some homes arguments and blame casting have become a daily habit. In other homes the inmates avoid each other and live as angry neighbors. Sadly, the kids are not immune to this commotion and turmoil. What has happened? Have we selfishly sacrificed our families on the altar of success? Maybe some but not all. Ask most people why they work so hard and they will reply that they are doing it for their family. In a crazy economy they are simply trying to stay afloat, plan ahead and give their loved ones the best they possibly can. That’s not a sin. We have been programmed by our Creator to provide for those in our care. Furthermore, the Bible never condemns success or hard work.

How then can the busy and not so busy families make it in today’s world? First, we need to realize that every family will face difficult seasons in life. Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 says “To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven . . . A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted.” The times of planting are naturally busier than the times of plucking. It is natural to face those strenuous times of late work hours and loss of job. Believe it or not, your parents, grandparents and great grandparents faced them too. The answer is not in bailing out or blaming one another. Second, forgiveness should be freely given. When Peter asked Jesus if seven times was enough to forgive someone, Jesus replied: “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:22). Pent up bitterness and anger is the root cause of many broken homes. Third, the antidote to all our cares, worries and fears is the life of faith. Faith reminds us that God is in control. It assures us that “all things work together for good to those who love God.” It helps us to visualize the “things unseen.” The only way to obtain such faith is to be built upon Christ. In Matthew 7:24-25 He said, “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:  ²⁵and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.” Things work out in a strange and wonderful way when Christ and His Word are at the center of our lives.

Ask most Americans and non-Americans “What symbolizes the American spirit?” and they will point to the Old West. There is something about it that represented opportunity, adventure and a challenge to tame the wild. Thomas Jefferson did not waste any time after the Louisiana Purchase to commission the Lewis and Clark expedition to explore the West. In the decades following thousands took the challenge to “Go West, young man, and grow up with the country.” This period of our nation’s history created the iconic wild west with cowboys, outlaws, gunslingers, ranches, and trail rides – part reality and part Hollywood. As I write this article I am 30 miles south of Monument Valley, Arizona, the site of many John Ford westerns.

Here are some of the highlights for each of us. Our 14 year old Rebecca’s favorite was Independence, Kansas – the historic site of the Laura Ingalls Wilder’s “Little House on the Prairie.” Looking east from the house one can just imagine the covered wagons coming over the hills on the Santa Fe trail. Abigail (10 year old) loved our visit to the Buffalo Bill Museum and grave in Golden, Colorado. Last year she had done a report on the sharp shooter Annie Oakley, who was a star performer on Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show. The boys (Nicholas – 5 years old and Thomas – two and a half years old) had two favorites. The first was getting into the Colorado River near scenic Glenwood Springs and the second was the short horseback ride in the Monument Valley. The Indian guides even let them lead the horse on their own. For my wife, Nicole, it was the walk through the Old Cowtown Museum in Wichita, Kansas. She especially enjoyed walking through the old farm house. My favorite was the walk through old Dodge City, Kansas, where lawmen like Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson earned their reputations. The only showdown we saw where cars, trucks and bikes looking for a parking place!

Although we are ready to be home, there are some priceless things that we are bringing along. The time we have spent together as a family has been the best souvenir. We have come to know each other better than ever, especially being in close quarters for hours at a time! The journey has been more interesting than the many destinations. As Louis L’Amour once said: “The trail is the thing, not the end of the trail. Travel too fast and you miss all you are traveling for.” Every family needs this time.

It has also given us a fresh appreciation for the Christian history of our nation. Men and women came to the west because they believed that this was a God given land of opportunity if one was willing to work hard and not give up. If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat (II Thessalonians 3:10). They loved the landscape but did not worship it (Romans 1:25). Pony Express Riders were required to take an oath and received a Bible to carry with them. History abounds with illustrations that the people operated from a biblical framework whether they knew it or not. As John Eldridge pointed out in his book “Wild at Heart,” God made man with an insatiable desire for freedom, adventure and a good fight between right and wrong. That is the Spirit and culture that built America. In recent years much has been about “multiculturalism in America” where “exploring” has been called “exploiting” and “conquering” is replaced with “conserving.” We discovered that America has a culture. Join in.