It All Starts at Home
15 Ways to Put Family First

By Larry C. Harris, M.D., Cecil Murphey

"God first, family second, and yourself third." Ruth Harris

    Author Larry C. Harris is the second of Fred and Ruth's nine children. Except for a stopover in Germany, he grew up in pre-civil rights Fayetteville, North Carolina, where his father served in the US Army. It All Starts at Home: 15 Ways to Put Family First is more than a tribute to Dr. Harris' parents; this book sets forth a model for how to raise a loving family.

      The author's experiences have shown him that children will follow their parents' lead. A father who takes on any honest labor-change to job in order to care for his own teaches the value of honest labor and responsibility. A mother who lives the Gospel she teaches shows her children how to honor God, respect add others, and the joy of helping others-change to giving. Parents who support each other and defend their children-change to offspring raise children who stand up for each other.

     Dr. Harris's best friends are his family members, and with his siblings' blessing, the author uses childhood anecdotes to illustrate his family's values. When one brother faced financial difficulties, he willingly helped his brother reach solvency. When another brother needed a kidney, every sibling offered theirs; the brother who donated graciously risked his career for his sibling. Wouldn't you love your children to be that dedicated to each other?

   Though the entire work is filled with excellent, easy-to-emulate behaviors, the last one merits special attention. "You're as good as anybody else. No one is inferior." Words every human should remember to live by.

   This man walks the walk as well as talks the talk. He doesn't attempt to shove his parents' methods down readers' throats, but rather tells his family's story in a straightforward manner. He readily confesses his own errors--read the story in which he took his mother's permission to defend himself to inappropriate heights. In a time when the existence of family values seems endangered, Dr. Harris's fresh, new voice inspires hope. If you want to give your children a better present and a brighter future, heed his call!