Fun with Family

There has been a lot of joking around through the years with me about the issue of family, As most of you know, I am an only child. Now, let's get this straight, there is no way in the world that I will ever be able to understand what it is like to have a brother or sister. I have people that I would say are like 
brother or sister, but there is really no way for me to know what that is like. It is just like someone who has never parachuted. You can talk about it, but without experience, it is hard to be authoritative in your comments; at least not like someone who has actually taken the jump.

Here is the story about family that has gotten me lots of funny looks through the years. When Peggy and I got married twenty some years ago, we had all these pictures taken at the wedding. We had so many taken that it was hard to decide which ones we wanted to keep. When we finally decided Peggy said to me, "We just need my sister's picture order and we will be good to go." I looked at Peggy funny and said, "Why does she want some of our pictures?" Peggy responded, "because she is my sister." To which I said, "I don't know why she would want any of our pictures, I wouldn't want any of hers." Before you get all judgmental on me, remember that I had no context of a sister - sister relationship. It was an only child who had no context.

Let me just say that my context has changed. It has been twenty three years ago that my ignorance flowed out of my mouth without restraint. Now I have grown to love my sister-in-law and her family deeply. It has been a joy to spend time with them on so many occasions. They have opened their home to us, laughed with us, went out to eat with us, and loved us. I have held and prayed for each of her kids when they were babies, watched them grow into wonderful adults and had the great joy of performing the wedding service for their oldest, Katie to Ryan, who has been a great addition to our family. 

For the last four days we have had a blast at their home in Ohio. Hebrews 13:1 says, "Keep on loving each other as brothers." Let me say that this family has helped me to understand this passage better than any other. I have a sister through Peggy and her wonderful family. And as we have been on sabbatical this summer we had time to be with them more than any other. I asked the congregation to spend one day a week this summer loving God and family. On the sabbath, practice the fourth command that ties loving God to loving each other. Let me just say, that this sabbath with my "sister" has been great and I now have some "pictures that I really want" to prove it.

So don't forget to spend one day a week this summer loving God and family. Enjoy God and each other, then write about the special things you did with your family so we can share them with each other this fall. 

Gina, Andy, Katie, Ryan, Kyle, and Chaney-- love you guys!!!