If I think of the most joyful and most eventful times of my life, they are surrounded by my family. Today we go to Coasanti's, one of the amazing traditions we use as an excuse to get together. There are many of them -- and then there are just the "normal" days like yesterday, chumming with Danny and his buddy, Christa popping over for awhile, and then meeting Mike and Bethany with Daniel to go to a worship service together and then hang out at their house.
The value of family. Every weekend having kids that want to hang out with us. Seeing them invest in a family that will yield the amazing results of children growing up with their identity solid. Things that people long for, I have lived with for two generations.
I am overwhelmed as I face my "double golden" birthday (55 on October 5!) -- how blessed I am to have a husband to respect how much my family is part of my life. He has exemplified Christ to me in laying his life down to be close to my family. In return, we have had the multiple blessings of having family close: the blessings God knew when He made us part of HIS family: when He put the "solitary" in families. When He moved people, He moved families together. I know that Gary could have moved to Silicon Valley in the early 1980's and tripled his income, but I refused to leave family. I wanted to be here for the ups and for the downs. I wanted to raise my children surrounded by INTRANSIENT relationships -- people who care and stay through thick and thin. I can't even bear to think of what my life would be right now if we had chosen differently. My life without my family. Not a life at all as far as I'm concerned. My life is not defined by the weather or the scenery.
Shania Twain has a great song: "She's not just a pretty face." It lists all the things women are -- and it makes me realize that I have been able to live out so many relationships: not just a wife, but a mom, sister, granddaughter, aunt, niece... The plan of God is much better than the plan of man. Now I have the opportunities to speak the Word and teach and train and be a part of the next generation as Jesse and Amber have their first child. The blessings of a grandparent as told by Scripture: where I can speak and teach "in the way" -- surrounded by love and continuity.
When I think of the most valuable assets I have in the world, I can picture myself with my nieces, nephews, brothers, sisters, parents, and those whose love has proved how to define "SUCCESS".
Challenge: Saturate yourself with your family. The ups and downs the goods and bads. Know why your life is defined by your family... Keep it strong and solid. Fight for it. Appreciate it. And if you haven't had the blessing of knowing it firsthand because you come from a broken home, embrace your spouse's family as your own! End the brokenness with YOUR choices!
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