"The happiest moments of my life have been the few which I have passed at home in the bosom of my family." ~Thomas Jefferson

Top photo of some of our family who gathered and I was privileged to have a part in my sister Fran's homegoing service in April of 2023. The bottom photo reflects the recent homegoing of my wife's brother Cleon this past June and I was privileged to have a part in his service too. 

 

Family matters. God ordained it to be that way. This is what I am thinking about on this Tuesday, August 12, 2025. We hear the word dysfunctional tossed around a lot these days but I heard a preacher say this about being dysfunctional. He said all families are while some or more than others. How can that be? The program on radio is entitled 'Back to Genesis', and, that is where we find the first family. Was that first family dysfunctional? Mom and dad disobeyed God and everything changed. It's called sin and it has infected every person born on the planet with the exception of the Lord Jesus Christ. Eventually, the first couple had children and my guess is the parents did their best to instill into their two boys, Cain and Abel, what they knew about God and their testimony of how God provided for them when they became separated from Him. We all know how the story goes. The boys grew up and went to do their own thing. This sin thing was a reality to them and it is for us today. Through a series of circumstances, Cain in a jealous rage rose up and killed his brother, even though God Himself tried to reason with Cain and encouraged him not to allow hate to guide his actions. Dysfunctional? Big time! My point? Family is messy. Family doesn't always conform to an ideal. Family is filled up with people who make choices in life and choices always bring consequences, both good and bad outcomes depending on the choice made. Hey, I've been there and done that. Family. It's complicated but it's worth preserving, it's worth taking the time to be involved, and, it's worth doing whatever we can to pass down the values that were passed down to us. To be honest, I am a wee bit weary of only seeing our extended family at the graveside. Yes, yes, yes, family matters. 

 

Let me quickly add, it's even difficult getting my immediate family together these days. One of the enemy's, (Satan by name), most effective devices is to keep everyone too busy to do things like gather as a family. We are just too busy with too many other things to do, and the list goes on and on. I have previewed something I am going to write about one day and it has to do with our busy lives. There's even a concept and it's tagged with this moniker, the Principle of Busyness. It's general defined in this way: The cultural tendency to equate being busy with productivity and success, even when that busyness might not be leading to meaningful results. If I make it to Saturday I will celebrate my 79th year of sojourn here on the planet, therefore, let me just say this about that. I know all too well what it means to be occupied and busy, especially in pursuing my work duties, often to the neglect of my family. Often. Too often. Therefore, I can tell everyone not to be so busy doing stuff that you miss the most important, that which will live on after you are gone. Yep. It's a little late for me except I can hope to help some to avoid my mistakes, and, I am still kicking as they say, therefore, I can do what I can do today. Or, as the song says and it speaks to my procrastinating heart, 

Tomorrow, tomorrow!
I love ya tomorrow!
You're always
A day
Away"

 

Mostly joking. We do need to make family a priority today even as God ordained. Amen and Amen.