As a tribute to moms I want to share this piece I came across this week. I thought it was classic. But what do I know? I'm not a mom. Moms, see what you think.

"In my next life, I wanna be a female bear. If you're a bear, you get to hibernate. You do nothing but sleep for six months. I could deal with that. Before you hibernate, you're supposed to eat yourself stupid. I could deal with that, too. If you're a bear, you birth your children (who are the size of walnuts) while you're sleeping and wake up to partially grown, cute cuddly cubs. I could definitely deal with that. If you're a mama bear, everyone knows you mean business. You swat anyone who bothers your cubs. If your cubs get out of line, you swat them, too. And I could deal with that. If you're a bear, your mate expects you to wake up growling. He expects that you will have hairy legs and excess body fat. Yup…I wanna be a bear."

Over the next few weeks we're going to take a look at the book of Proverbs and talk about "Healthy Homes." There is not a person here this morning who would not like to have a healthy home. Some homes are struggling. Apply these proverbs and help build a healthier home. Some homes are models for others to follow. But even these homes could become healthier. The book of Proverbs is filled with extremely practical wisdom for daily life.

Today we will be in Proverbs 17-18. Every family I know is continuously making runs to the pharmacy to get prescriptions filled. Today, I want you to think of prescriptions in terms of healthy homes. These prescriptions assume that you are already building a strong foundation of love, commitment, and prayer because these are absolutely essential. What I plan to teach you today will build upon that foundation. Every home would do well to include these three prescriptions.

The first prescription for a healthy home is a cheerful heart. "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones" (Proverbs 17:22). One of the things I like about Proverbs is that the verses don't really need a lot of in-depth analysis and interpretation. Most of them speak for themselves in plain language.

"A cheerful heart". Of course, the heart is the center of life, the innermost part of your being. And whatever the tone of the heart is will be reflected in your attitude, emotions, words, and action. What is it about a cheerful heart that makes it good medicine in the home? When hearts are cheerful, everyone is happier, esteem levels are higher, and fun and laughter prevail.

Some of our most memorable family moments happen around the dinner table. Sometimes the conversations may be heavy. But most of the time there is poking fun and lots of laughter. Sometimes we get to laughing so hard, the tears stream down our faces and we have to leave the table. Most of it is stuff that an outsider would think is silly or stupid. There is no need to give you specifics because you'd have to be there to appreciate it. There's one thing I haven't figured out yet, come to think of it. I haven't figured out why I seem to be the brunt of most of the humor.

This verse is so true. A joyful heart is good medicine. Outside of heart medications no family of prescription drugs outsells anti-depressants, a $12 billion industry. The medicines certainly bring relief to millions of people. In no way would I raise a question about anyone's need to take antidepressants. But I wonder how many could avoid going that route if they worked on the human heart. The verse says that a cheerful heart is medicine itself. The opposite of a cheerful heart is a crushed spirit. And the long term effect is just the opposite as well. A crushed spirit is not healthy. Not only will it affect your own joy level and even your physical being. It can bring down the joy level in the home In an earlier proverb, the Bible says, "Above all else, guard your heart; for it is the wellspring of life" (4:23). Above all else…guard your heart. It is the key to your physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. And it is also the key to the cheer level in your home.

What's the cheer level in your home? In your mind quickly run through every family member who lives in your home and rate their cheer level. Here's where things can get complicated. Just one heart that is not cheerful can mess up the whole family. This is not just a mom or dad issue either. Children and teenagers have the capacity of sucking the cheer out of any home. They don't like school, they don't like church, and they don't like their parents. How dare you let your anger at the world bring down the cheer level in your home! Get over it. You chose that kind of attitude. And you have it within you to choose an attitude that would be more God-honoring.

A dad who's stressed out at work and brings a bad attitude home with him can suck the cheer out of a home. A mom whose nerves are completely rattled from trying to keep her head above water can deplete a home of joy.

I know that chemical imbalances and other health issues can alter a person's mood. But you and I are still responsible for our attitude. We choose it. No matter how difficult our circumstances may be, we still control our attitude, which also means that we control our level of cheer. I challenge each one of you to do a gut check. Why would you allow your uncheerful heart to drag the whole family down? In your heart I know you want a healthy home. Then do your part. Develop a cheerful heart.

The second prescription for a healthy home is a controlled tongue. I wonder how many homes have been destroyed because of an uncontrolled tongue. The book of James teaches that if you could just get to the point that your tongue never slips, you would be a perfect person. Out of our mouths come blessings and curses. And Jesus taught that the things that come out of our mouths come from the heart. In other words, there are no such things as slip-ups.

If you feel you need to use profanity, you have a heart problem. If you think your insults are cute, think again. You have a heart problem. If you constantly criticize or nag, you have a heart problem. If you have a hard time giving encouraging words or words that compliment, you have a heart problem.

Take a look at some of the verses in chapter 18. "A fool's lips bring him strife, and his mouth invites a beating" (18:6). Do you ever interrupt your spouse's sentence before she finishes? Do you respond with an answer before he explains the situation? God has a verse for you. "He who answers before listening—that is his folly and his shame" (18:13). It's not just avoiding the bad uses of the tongue that will help build a healthy home. It is also developing the skill of listening that is critical.

Let me confess straight up that this is an area I need constant work on. I don't know if it's a man thing or not. Even if it is, it's wrong. Sometimes I will jump into the middle of Anita's sentence with a response. That's rude and certainly not helpful to building communication skills. Sometimes I think I know where she's headed; so I'll go ahead and say, "I know…" and cut her off. Not good. Especially if my calculations were wrong and how I responded was not where she was headed. Sometimes she will rub my guilt in deeper by not going back to tell me what she was saying. I hate that. I'm guilty enough as it is. But she will go for the kill by making me suffer more. I know I'm the only husband in here who has this problem.

Look at one more verse with me. "The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit" (18:21). What a strong statement! The tongue carries a lot of power, doesn't it? Here's what this verse is teaching. Go ahead and use your tongue. Just know that your words are extremely powerful. You can choose to use it in ways that build up or you can choose to use it in ways to tear down. You can use it to bless others or to curse others. You can use it to compliment or to criticize.

But here's the deal. With your words you are growing a fruit tree. And you will eat the fruit from the tree. Do you want to eat sweet fruit or rotten fruit? If you have a tongue problem, you will have to eat the fruit that those bad seeds produce. If you use your tongue to glorify God and edify those in your family, you will have the joy of eating sweet, juicy fruit. It's the same principle that God instituted at the beginning of time. You will always reap what you sow.

I wonder how much healthier our homes would be if we took our daily prescription of a controlled tongue. Think of the arguments that could have been more readily settled if we controlled our tongues. Think of how many hurt feelings could have been avoided if we controlled our tongues. Think of how stronger parent-teen relationships could be if we controlled our tongues. Do you need some work in this area? Are you willing to read some more in the Bible that will help you? Read slowly through the book of James. When you're done with that, read through the whole book of Proverbs and mark every verse that deals with the tongue.

The third prescription for a healthy home is an open wallet. Do what? That's right—an open wallet. Some of you are saying, "My home must be the perfect example of health. Between my wife and my kids, my wallet stays open. In fact, it stays open so often that there's nothing left in it but a leather divider."

By an open wallet, I'm talking about the importance of generosity. Listen to these words: "Giving a gift can open doors; it gives access to important people!" (Proverbs 18:16, NLT). The Bible speaks a lot about generosity. After all, God is a generous God, isn't He? And if we are to be like Him, then we need to learn generosity. Another proverb says, "A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor" (22:9).

In the midst of an economy that's in a downward spiral, we must not lose sight of this wonderful virtue. Times are tight; but God still wants us to be givers. When you as parents can demonstrate ongoing generosity before your children, it helps them to develop the same quality. And generous people are the happiest people in the world. These tough economic times provide you with wonderful opportunities to teach your children that God still wants you to practice generosity.

I'm preaching to myself with this point. In these tough economic times, it's easy to talk nonstop about money problems. If you aren't careful, you can become obsessed, distressed, and depressed about money issues. These times are a test. Will generosity still characterize our homes? Will we use these times as teaching moments for our children that God still wants us to be givers even when money might be tight? Our church is seeking to raise a million dollars at a time when gas is pushing toward $4 a gallon. Will you still make a generous pledge in spite of the economy?

I don't think he would mind me telling you…but I believe my son Kevin is really taking some forward steps in developing the quality of generosity. He's already tithing and has seen God respond in ways he never dreamed possible.

Last Sunday afternoon he called and from the tone of his voice I could tell he was excited. He said, "You're not going to believe what just happened." Long story short, he and Erin attend Newspring Church in Anderson. Perry Noble had just preached a message about money and generosity and encouraged the congregation to pay for someone else's meal when they were eating out after church. Well, they went to Chili's and decided to practice generosity. He told the waitress that he would take the check from the table behind them. As he was leaving, he overheard the people at that table asking the waitress for the check from the table behind them. He was so excited. As a dad, I was thrilled because I knew my son was learning a very important lesson of life…that generosity reaps huge rewards and builds healthy homes.

We all want healthy homes. The most important key is to make sure that Jesus Christ is at the center of your home. Make sure prayer is practiced and God's Word is read. But in addition, take these prescriptions: a cheerful heart, a controlled tongue, and an open wallet. Watch and see what God will do in your family.