Families

Last night we celebrated a special birthday and for the first time in a long time, our family all gathered together. Our family has struggled with some conflict this last year. It has been hard, really hard. And in the midst of the conflict we have had some terrific high points - the birth of another grandchild and he is wonderful!

We have new people in the family, I think. Since there are no marriages it is hard to be sure. That is a personal struggle for me. I hate the idea of getting to know and love people that might be not part of us the next year. I have no problem embracing new people. My difficulty is in letting go when the relationships end. TO me, Family is Family and the relationships do NOT begin and end so casually.

So last night at our birthday celebration we had some conflict. The prior conflicts may not be gone. They were not present. That is so awesome and it shows everyone's desire to be family together. There were other conflicts... mostly in the arena of how we each discipline differently. It is so hard when we raise little ones --- everyone with their own expectations of behavior. We still have to figure out how to be family and get along even with our differences.

And I came home last night and reflected on a gift I received yesterday in the mail. It was a candle and a card from a Mom whose only child, a son, died 5 years ago when he was 28. He was the same age as my son. Her request was to light the candle and remember.

While holding my new grandson I coo-ed at him and smiled at him and relished each noise he gave back to me, I realized how rich I am, conflicts and all, loud and noisy and struggles and discipline. So as I think about a young man I never knew and mourn the loss for a woman I love, a Mom, not just of her son but of her grandchildren and her future daughter in law and of all the pleasures and struggles that he would have given her... I stop and say "thank you Lord for my family, struggles and all. Thank you for today, for all the yesterdays, and for all the tomorrows we get."

Help me to remember to be thankful in the midst of conflict.

DKU