Family

This subject of "Family" has captivated my mind and study these past few weeks.  Maybe eventually I'll take the time to pen some of the Biblical stuff, but for now I would just like to share some thoughts.

America's perspective on family is so marred by today's culture.  With broken homes, divorce, and abandonment, not many kids today truly know what FAMILY really is.  A dictionary would define family simply as a bond by blood that exists to provide the physical needs of a group of individuals.  That just seems so cold and distant to me.

I come from a broken home, and even though I had some examples of what a family should look like, I just hadn't experienced it to the fullest. Growing up in and around the ministry has allowed me to watch as blood has turned on blood.  Family member against family member.  Husbands against wives.  Parents against children.  "Family units"  that thrive on drama and oppression.  That has just seemed to be the norm for alot of people through the years.

A family could be described as a group of people that accept and love you for you.  Not always trying to change your personality, characteristics, and enjoyments.  They support you because they recognize God has created you in that manner.  A family watches out for its own.  They help protect and ward off those who would cause harm.  They seek the good and advancement of each other, and don't play them for their own personal gain.  I'm learning that a family goes out of its way to demonstrate LOVE.  Love isn't just a word that we should use flippantly.  It's a passion that exhibits itself in ACTION.  Not "love emotion," but rather "love INmotion."  You do for each other without thought of reciprocation.

This is all pretty basic stuff, but some of it is totally new to me.  I have recently been grafted in to a couple different families.  People who are proud to claim me as part of their family unit.  God has used them to bless me in ways I could never have dreamed of.  Not just physically, but spiritually, and emotionally.  I just sit in awe at this.  I have never really even begun to understand the concept of unconditional love until this year.

To my dads (you know who you are),  thank you for teaching me, defending me, supporting me, and loving me.  Without your advice I wouldn't be where I am today.  You have totally changed my life and I don't express enough how grateful I am for you.

To my moms, (you especially know who you are ;)  ...  Thank you so much for your prayers, motherly advice and care.  I have truly been touched and blessed by the way you treat me.  With families of your own, you still take so much time to make me feel like a son, and I love you for that.  Some of the things you do, say, and ask, still shock me...Just be patient as I continue to adjust and learn.

To my brothers and sisters,  y'all are amazing.  I'm so proud to be "big brother" to some of the most talented and godly kids out there.

I AM SOOOO BLESSED!  I could never repay you all for the way you've treated me, but I pray God allows me to be a blessing to you on multiple levels, and that he greatly rewards you for your investment in my life.  I LOVE YOU!