Family Is Forever
A family observes painful things and celebrates events with great joy. The divorce of a family member and whatever reasons that surface may feel like sandpaper on an old wound. Grace and forgiveness and love become the healing balm that is required. I find that those gifts of God carry more wisdom than hours of family discussions. Family is forever and all families, at some point in time, need healing. I focus on the healing because family is very important to me.
The marriage of two of my three sons and my daughter were times of joy-filled celebrations. Each of them found a very special person and we are all blessed because we have three new members in our family. Change is good but the transitions sometimes require time and love. We are not perfect; I have more than a few flaws, but we love each other and family is very important to us.
The birth of a child, a niece or nephew for some and a grandchild for others is a time for joy and celebration. A new life brings new life to the family. Families grow and new generations emerge.
Families face conflicts from time to time and some of them are not easy to resolve. At times like that I wish I had more wisdom and I turn to God in prayer. Family members don't need to agree on everything to love and accept each other. Our understanding of God and how to make our spiritual journeys may be different. Sometimes that may cause some family members to feel rejected or judged. Shalom asks us to radically accept each other for who we are and to let God's love be the foundation of our relationships.
Family relationships need not be patronizing. We must learn to love each other in honesty so that we can have authentic relationships. That may test the ties that bind us, but it is necessary for healthy relationships. Loving each other in honesty requires grace and the freedom to know each other fully. Shalom tell us to reassure each other with the words, "You can trust me to love and accept you when you share our differences because I will always love you and I will never abandon you.
Bear
The marriage of two of my three sons and my daughter were times of joy-filled celebrations. Each of them found a very special person and we are all blessed because we have three new members in our family. Change is good but the transitions sometimes require time and love. We are not perfect; I have more than a few flaws, but we love each other and family is very important to us.
The birth of a child, a niece or nephew for some and a grandchild for others is a time for joy and celebration. A new life brings new life to the family. Families grow and new generations emerge.
Families face conflicts from time to time and some of them are not easy to resolve. At times like that I wish I had more wisdom and I turn to God in prayer. Family members don't need to agree on everything to love and accept each other. Our understanding of God and how to make our spiritual journeys may be different. Sometimes that may cause some family members to feel rejected or judged. Shalom asks us to radically accept each other for who we are and to let God's love be the foundation of our relationships.
Family relationships need not be patronizing. We must learn to love each other in honesty so that we can have authentic relationships. That may test the ties that bind us, but it is necessary for healthy relationships. Loving each other in honesty requires grace and the freedom to know each other fully. Shalom tell us to reassure each other with the words, "You can trust me to love and accept you when you share our differences because I will always love you and I will never abandon you.
Bear
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