Who knows us better--and loves us in spite of knowing us? By the sheer accident of birth, we are gifted with family. Those we are connected with by the tie of blood--which cannot be untied. Like it or not---we are bound by our genes.
Unfortunately, as my sweet counselor friend often reminds me--
ALL FAMILIES ARE A MESS
AT BEST
What a glorious mess my family is! Separated by miles, philosophies, politics, economy, age--we still have the tie that binds--The Family Tree. There is no piece of paper, no act of man, no wish to separate that can erase our family connection. Once the process of begetting began--a chord which bound us became unbreakable. We may not like our family--but we cannot erase the connection.
I am thankful for my small circle of immediate family and the larger circle of extended family. Those kith and kin who know my history, have seen me at my worst, know the potential of my best and loved me through it all.
What an opportunity we are given--to love those in our family as God loves us His chosen family. The privilege of admitting the truth of our short comings and humanness to those who already know the facts. The blessing of confessing our failings and modeling the grace which has been showered upon us when others hurt us. The privilege of loving them as they love us--as only family can.
What better place to live our faith--than the primary relational unit given to us by The Father--our family.
But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.
Joshua 24:15
Ah ... Families. We all have them and somehow have to live with them. No matter what they do.
ReplyDeleteMy family is full of odd-balls. My grandfather for instance. He finally achieved his life-long ambition to be a lion-whisperer; just moments before he died. My other grandfather was very lazy and worked on a farm. He was fired for killing a snail which followed him all day long. My other grandfather invented a compass which always pointed in the opposite direction he was travelling. He did not know whether he was coming or going. He also invented a luminous sundial so he could tell the time at night. My other grandfather was abandoned by his family so he joined ours. He was a boxer. The rest of his family were Dalmatians. My other grandfather ... or was it my uncle? My uncle went for three weeks on a dog food diet. It eventually landed him in hospital. He stepped off a curb to sniff a poodle's butt and was hit by a car. My other uncle did not have a peaceful death lying quietly in his bed. Instead he was surrounded by shouting and screaming people as he drove the bus over a cliff. My auntie ... my auntie told her parents that she was pregnant. They told her to deny that the baby was hers. My other uncle ... he died at work in a warehouse suddenly without saying goodbye. He was hit on the head by a falling crate of Cheerios.
I think that's enough of my family; don't you think?
Thank you so much, Lulu, for another great post. Happy Thanksgiving. God bless you and your family.
How many grandfathers do you have, Victor? Very unusual, but we have come to expect the unusual from our Victor. Thanks for the laugh!
DeleteBlessings!