Family Ties
Today was marked by a lovely gift from my mom. She sent a sweet wall hanging for me--now to find just the right spot! My lunch today was shared with a couple who are making their way to being a family, to motherhood and fatherhood for the very first time. They shared hopes and dreams, fears and worries. I feel blessed to have an opportunity to be allowed into this intimate portion of their lives.
Coming home, I was once again struck by how my life has order and purpose. The direction of my life was put into place long before I was born, my days being ordained for me when I was being knit in my mothers' womb (Ps 139) We have always chosen to have a peaceful home, a place of refuge for those who enter in. Our choices and decisions are hopefully reflective of our joy in service.
I picked up a young man whom I have known for most of the 12 years we have lived here. One of the highlights of my relationship with him is when I attended the birth of his daughter as her doula a few years back. He was telling me today how he is a changed man, one who understands about power in relationships and how it needs to be shared. He also said that it makes him sad that his family has not recognized how much he has changed yet, which got me pondering. How much of this is our responsibility, to show others how we have changed Will it be borne out in our day to day lives if a change has taken place? And those relationships which have suffered in our past, how then shall we find and create healing? I think it is sad when a person's choices alienate them from family. While it is true that families are not all places of refuge- far from it--they are still family! And that should be a place where you are loved simply for who you are, not what you do! It is a place where you don't have to earn your position or perform a particular way to be loved. Rather, it is the one place where you should have freedom to know that no matter what you do, you will be loved unconditionally. That is why Christianity is built on a family way of thinking. There is absolutely nothing we can do to be separated from the love of God- just like there should be no way to ever lose the love of your own father. Your parents should be the one place where you will find unconditional love, so you know just how God the Father can love us.
This weekend will be marked by family. My chef-daughter is coming home from her own community. My tree-hugging son is taking the long trip home and we will all be together for a day or two--what joy! During that time, we will also provide a cable, a rope for our momma-daughter when she needs this support the most.
Family. Our source. that place where we originated, where it is safe to be who we are and not be judged by what we do. Love, unconditional, in gratitude.
Coming home, I was once again struck by how my life has order and purpose. The direction of my life was put into place long before I was born, my days being ordained for me when I was being knit in my mothers' womb (Ps 139) We have always chosen to have a peaceful home, a place of refuge for those who enter in. Our choices and decisions are hopefully reflective of our joy in service.
I picked up a young man whom I have known for most of the 12 years we have lived here. One of the highlights of my relationship with him is when I attended the birth of his daughter as her doula a few years back. He was telling me today how he is a changed man, one who understands about power in relationships and how it needs to be shared. He also said that it makes him sad that his family has not recognized how much he has changed yet, which got me pondering. How much of this is our responsibility, to show others how we have changed Will it be borne out in our day to day lives if a change has taken place? And those relationships which have suffered in our past, how then shall we find and create healing? I think it is sad when a person's choices alienate them from family. While it is true that families are not all places of refuge- far from it--they are still family! And that should be a place where you are loved simply for who you are, not what you do! It is a place where you don't have to earn your position or perform a particular way to be loved. Rather, it is the one place where you should have freedom to know that no matter what you do, you will be loved unconditionally. That is why Christianity is built on a family way of thinking. There is absolutely nothing we can do to be separated from the love of God- just like there should be no way to ever lose the love of your own father. Your parents should be the one place where you will find unconditional love, so you know just how God the Father can love us.
This weekend will be marked by family. My chef-daughter is coming home from her own community. My tree-hugging son is taking the long trip home and we will all be together for a day or two--what joy! During that time, we will also provide a cable, a rope for our momma-daughter when she needs this support the most.
Family. Our source. that place where we originated, where it is safe to be who we are and not be judged by what we do. Love, unconditional, in gratitude.
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