Christ-centeredness in a godly family...

From the introduction to Edward Hartman's book Homeward Bound: Building an Attractive Christ-centered Family on Eternal Principles. The author's wife (Amy!) died of cancer at the age of 32 (same as me!). They had four children.

...Christ-centeredness in a godly family grows out of living constantly with a long view. A perspective that holds in constant view the unshakable reality of eternity as the backdrop to every issue, every relationship, every hope, every dream, every joy, every sorrow, every smile, and every tear. I’ve learned that as the spiritual head of my marriage and family, I can offer no greater gift to those I hold dear in this life, than to point them constantly to eternity, and to the One who sovereignly rules over it.

In Romans 12:1-2, the apostle Paul challenges us: ‘Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.’ It is this ‘godly preoccupation’ with eternity that lies at the heart of offering our bodies as living sacrifices, and consequently, at the heart of a life of worship. The result of this preoccupation with eternity, Paul tells us, is that we will be able test and approve what God’s good, perfect, and pleasing will is. This doesn’t simply point to the right identifying of or thinking about God’s will, but it leads us to the right valuing of those things that count for eternity. And when we learn to treasure above all else the perfect and pleasing will of God and learn to be satisfied in all that God is for us and offers to us, then everything else in our lives, and in our families, regains proper perspective and proportion.