I believe as a child growing up in a Christian family that the focus on Jesus, moral living, and attendance at church was a mores that influenced my psychology towards my faith in Jesus today. My fondest early childhood memories were of church or activities involved within a Christian environment. Because my paternal and maternal relatives came from the Louisiana and Texas respectively, there was a cultural expectancy of religion or at least a respect and acknowledgement of God.  Sunday without a doubt was a day when going to church was the focus of our life.  Everything about Sunday was unique, from the attire we wore, the absence of household chores, the distinguish people that seriously worship God, and the various forms of learning about Jesus, e.g., Sunday School, Worship, YPCC, and Night Worship. 
 
It didn’t seem that dreadful in retrospect, as a child I found it captivating.  Sundays merely started the week of worship, for Wednesday & Friday Nights when Bible Study and another Worship experience respectively were scheduled.  The Friday Night Worship was focused on the development of the youth and young adults within our church, so they would be ready to lead the church as the older generations became older.  Lastly, there were rehearsals and ministry meetings during the week that filled the majority of our weekly calendar and yet there was no outcry in my memory of church burnout. 
 
I am not trying to imply that the church of my childhood didn’t have any stresses or frustrations due to the scheduling of the church calendar, but I seriously can’t recall any complaints at all.  Many of those that attended my church worked at canneries, department of defense, hospital workers (cooks & janitorial), and various other labor / manufacturer jobs.  These God fearing men and women weren’t making top dollar, but they were earning a decent wage of which they responsibly and joyfully supported each other (church).  People that were unable to shelter themselves stayed with fellow members, people that needed clothes were given quality apparel, so generosity ruled to the degree that when people shook one anothers hand there was occasionally left money in it. 
 
Why did I bring this to your attention, because being exposed to that type of Christian culture impacted me as a child.  It influenced and gave me a love for the church and all it stood for – the love of Jesus Christ.  Again, there were selfish sinful behaviors that occurred in the congregation that I attended.  However, it didn’t overshadow the supernatural presence that I saw demonstrated through my nuclear and extended family and the church I attended.  What’s my take away is that when a child is immerged into a religious culture - that culture will have an irreversible impact on their lives.  Although as stated earlier my religious environment was not without errors / imperfections, yet the sincerity and conviction of those that I was exposed to drew me to Jesus the Christ!

TRAIN UP A CHILD IN THE WAY HE SHOULD GO: AND WHEN HE IS OLD, HE WILL NOT DEPART FROM IT. PROVERBS 22:6
 
Let me encourage you that are scratching your head because of your concern to give your family a balance lifestyle.  Go camping, go fishing, go to amusement parks, go cross country to visit relatives and see the world, all of which I did as a child, but always demonstrate enthusiasm and love toward God and His people,  so that your children and friends can see and be left with an impression of Christianity that will last their lifetime. 
 
Blessing,
Bishop Tylos Jackson, Jr.