Family Matters!

Welcome to a brand new work week on this last day of August, on this Monday, the 31st, 2009. I was off for a Friday, Saturday, and Sunday long weekend and am so thankful for all we were able to experience. Friday was one of those days that became an instant memory that we will always treasure. My wife and I traveled over to Louisiana to visit our folks there. We were there specifically to be with our dear brother Milton who continues to recover from a devastating heart failure and disabling stroke. For my wife's family it was a mini-reunion of sorts since once again her and her siblings were able to be together. I was able to drop her off and drive on for another twenty minutes to visit my mom and dad. It's always a special occasion when I can be with them. Thank You, Lord, for allowing them to be here and to have the health and ability to be up and about, typically always busy, and often engaged in serving others. I stayed with them for a couple of hours and we had a great time of laughing and loving and doing our best to settle all the great issues of the day, in and out of our family, in our country, and we probably touched on some international stuff as well. It was brief but when I left I had this feeling of overwhelming blessing for these special people in our lives.

When I returned out to my brother-in-law's place everyone had arrived. We enjoyed a wonderful meal together and then retired to the living room to visit. As I sat there next to Brother Milton and looked around the room I could not help but think about this family and how all those in that room had been a part of each other's lives for so many years. My wife's older brother Cleon is like a one-of-a-kind model of stability and faithfulness in all things pertaining to family. He was there the night we were married and actually signed as a witness on our marriage certificate. Brother Milton surrendered to preach in the summer of 1964 and he performed our marriage ceremony in December of that same year. He was one nervous preacher and we all had a good laugh as we recalled that night. His dear wife Glenda has stood by him all these years and God has blessed their ministry for Him in remarkable ways. My wife's sister Dorothy was her maid of honor at our wedding. Her husband Charles, currently recovering from having two heart stints installed, was involved with, if not responsible for, much of the mess they made of our car on our wedding night. I think he may have denied putting the Limburger cheese in the heater system of our car that night, but given the fact it was a very frosty night, we have never been certain just who to blame for that very unpleasant start to our honeymoon adventure.

There we all sat. Family. Family matters! Lots of gray hair, lots of no hair, and lots of memories in that semi-circle where we all sensed how very special it was that God had allowed us to be together one more time. Seeing the progress Brother Milton has made was enough to have brought about a shout of praise to our Great God. He still has memory trouble and eyesight difficulties but he now glows from the inside out with something God has given to him, peace. Brother Milton, a great communicator of God's Word, struggled with how his sudden illness could ever be useful or make sense, but now he is at peace and God has returned him in so many ways to the old Brother Milton. He can now laugh at many of the things that have happened to him. Family. Family matters! It was a long day and we were very tired when we arrived home but the weariness was infused with our thankfulness for a God given memory that we will always cherish. Okay, folks, there is a lesson in this little walk down memory lane. Don't let the busyness of life keep you from having this type of experience with those who have meant so much in your life. Yes, it does take effort and yes it may not be convenient, but my how wonderful it is to be able to share one more time, because family, yes, family matters! Have a great week and may God bless. Amen. More later.........