Family is an incredible gift

Family is an incredible gift. I thank God for mine.

I don't watch much TV anymore. This evening, I watched reruns with my niece and her husband. The family depicted on the sitcom was incredibly dysfunctional (whose isn't to some degree?). We laughed as the parents and grown children squabbled and feuded just like little children, all the while recognizing that others might look at our family and see things to guffaw about. I was simply reminded of the gift of family. Mine has never been perfect. I know my brother sometimes must roll his eyes at my life and choices, while I chuckle about his foibles as well, but when all is said and done, he is my brother and will always be in my corner as I am in his.

I remember a time back in high school. He was dating a young woman in the grade between us. She and I were lab assistants to the same teacher. I remember (blushing somewhat at the memory) telling her, because she was dating someone else as well, that if she hurt my brother, she had me to deal with. What could I have done to her? What would I have done to her? Nothing truly. But I remember the depth of my protective feeling--don't mess with my brother! When he was in college, my brother would not allow his fraternity brothers to even think about dating me. They were okay to be his friends, but not for me. Thirty plus years later, we still have that same depth of feeling for each other, even though we live thousands of miles apart in very diffierent worlds.

Gracious God, thank you for my family!