Families are not like friends that you choose. You are either born into them or marry into them. Sometimes you bond, sometimes you don't. So here are a few instances of family relationships in my life.
I was born into the Gayheart family. The third of three girls and then seven years later a little brother. Being the youngest girl, I enjoyed being daddy's girl. Then along came my brother and I became just the middle child in a family of four. My two older sisters were best friends and did everything together. My parents, especially mom doted on my brother.
Then I married into the Hillebrand family at age 18. They are so wonderful! My mother-in-law, Mary, became my best friend after Jim's father passed away. We were always ready to go road trips together. My sister-in-law, Sherri, was my spiritual mentor. And my other sister-in-law, Donna, invited me to Bible Study Fellowship where I accepted Jesus as my Savior.
That's when I joined another family, God's family (John 1:12). Never again did I go through life alone. I knew that no matter what God loved me and would see me through the ups and downs of life. I've had many it seems like. Mostly health related.
Then I have my church family at Grace Evangelical. No matter what is going on with my other two families, the support and love I feel with my church family helps me get through the difficult times. The girls in my triple cord (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)group: Vickie, Leigh, Becky, Krissy, April and Joyce are always ready to pray the minute any of us send a text or an email asking for prayer.
So why did I title this post families are difficult? Well, I'll tell you why. In my biological family there is always a feud going on. It's worse than the Hatfield's and McCoy's. Somebody is not talking to somebody else. Next week it will be someone different that is mad and not talking. Life is so short and I've missed out on important events in my families' lives...birthday parties, Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners because someone was mad at somebody.
I can't dwell on what I've missed I have to do what Philippians 4:8 says, "Whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuos and praiseworthy, think on these things.
Those good things are that I married into a great family and I have a great church family. And now that AJ and Erin are married, we have a new daughter-in-law and son-in-law. We are getting acquainted with their parents and siblings. So I guess now I am a part of two other families, the Hacks and the Russels.
The Hacks live in Wheaton, Illinois. The are so much fun to be with. Each year we visit them and have a cook out on July 4th and then go to fireworks together. Erin and Chris also live in Wheaton and Erin commutes to her job in Chicago. We catch up by phone a couple times a week and she visits for the weekend every couple of months. Erin and I have fun together.
The Russels live here in Indy. They are a very close family and go on vacations with 20 people. Wow! That sounds more like a family reunion to me than a vacation but they enjoy it. Sometimes I feel left out of my son's life when he spends lots of time with his wife's family. I know he loves me but it would be nice to spend more time with him.
So as long as I keep my focus on the blessings and not think about things I'm missing out on, I'll be fine. Isn't that the same way with our spiritual lives. If we focus on the world and all it's problems we can get very down. But as we keep our focus on God and His promises, we have love, joy, hope and peace. Isaiah 26:3 says, "Thou will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in Thee."
It's all about our focus. Keep looking up!
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