The Blessing

If I could give a blessing to the world, I would bless them with a family like mine. Without them I would be . . . well, I can't even imagine where I'd be. My husband loves me enough to let me be away when I need to be away. He understands how much my mother needs me right now and isn't jealous of the time I have to be with her. I know he misses me and wishes I didn't have to be away, but he doesn't complain and he encourages me to do what needs to be done. He is the best gift God has given to me apart from His Son. If every woman could place her trust in her husband, depend on his strength, be loved by him the way my beloved loves me. . .what a difference so many marriages would see.

And my children: My eldest has taken responsibility for making sure the younger ones are where they need to be, that they have what they need for what's going on at the moment. So many young adults are so focused on themselves that they don't see any needs at all around them. I have always been able to trust her to do the right thing.

M is in a hard place. During the day, she has seniority, but in the evening, she gets placed in the "children" catagory. Being 13 is one of the hardest things there is. Yet I know that she is a steady influence in the lives of some other 13 year olds who don't have much that is steady in their lives. She is faced with so many choices at this age, but I trust her to make the right choice.

And L . . . She could have pitched a fit about my missing her "big thing." Instead, she tried to make me feel better about it. She didn't want me to feel bad, so she found a "next best thing" for me to look for. She wanted to protect me from the disappointment I felt.

There is no PERFECT family. Families are made up of human beings who, from birth, are imperfect. Yet if we make the CHOICE to BE a family, to put the family before ourselves, to love each other - no matter how much we irritate or disappoint - then we can face the challenges the world throws at us. We can do what needs to be done without worrying about things falling apart, because we know that our FAMILY is there with us, cheering us on, wanting what is best for us, even if there is a price they may have to pay. That is what real families are all about.