Family Matters

Thoughts for Cheri:

“I’m getting excited about my trip to Georgia.  I’m going Feb. 5-9.  I’ll spend Thursday night and Friday with Mary Ellen, a friend of Pat’s with whom I’ve been emailing.  Friday night and Saturday will be the retreat Pat’s church is doing.  Sunday I’ll go to church and Buddy has taken off the day so can have a family dinner.  That will be so nice.  I’ll drive home Monday.”

I’d didn’t realize until after my marriage how distant my relationships with my family had become.  Before Mom and Dad died we spent time together and enjoyed it mostly.  However, my ex’s attitude put a damper on just about everything we did.  He was so critical and never wanted to do what anyone else wanted to do.  Even though I knew my family loved me this put a strain on relationships.

Thankfully this began to change the week Pat came right after my marriage ended.  Her love and support helped get me started in the right direction on my recovery.  The support of Pat, Bill, Buddy, and Rebecca at Tanya’s wedding was invaluable.  They showed me who family is and what being a family means.  I’d lost that along the way.  Then along came Praise Gathering which I wrote about in an earlier post.  Again I felt loved and supported and like I belonged.  Strange feelings to this one who hadn’t experienced them in years. 

Then Pat invited me to this women’s retreat that her church presents the first of every February.  Not only would I be attending but we would go early to the site to help with registration, etc.  But even before that Mary Ellen had invited me to be her guest for a day and night.  Pat assured me it would be a treat and she was right but more about that in a later post.

The best part during the days before my trip was the anticipation of something special in my life.  These were the cold dark days of January when it’s easy to get depressed and/or lonely so the promise of this special time with my family was a lifeline to me.

Before I close this post I want to make mention of 3 people who have been there for me through thick and thin.  Hal, Tim, Tanya, and I lived through this together.  We all experienced it differently but we hung together.  We’ve had our ups and downs like any family but when it comes right down to it I know we’ll be there for each other.  My kids have given me nothing but total support and love since I started this journey almost 14 years ago.  They’ve loved and encouraged me as I took new steps in this life.  They are the best things to come out of my marriage and I’d do it all over again just to have them in my life.

I’m thankful for the family God gave to me in all the stages of my life.  My kids, siblings, nieces & nephews, and the generations that come from them mean so much to me in my life.  I love them all and pray that God will reveal Himself in ways big and small as they live life.

Father,

Thank You for placing me in a family with people who love and accept me.

Teach me to be the same with them

Thank You for inviting me into Your family through faith in Your Son.

In His Name I pray,

Amen