My world and how I see it

God blessed me with a wonderful family growing up. I realize that not everyone has that and I don't take it for granted. I could tell you story after story about things that happened, good and bad, but honestly how I saw things always seem to work out. Now thats not to say we were perfect because we were far from that. As a matter of fact, my younger brother and I use to fight and argue all the time. Thank God time and age has changed us. My sister is a bit older than me so she was gone before I hit middle school but even thoguh we are not as close as my brother and I, I was pretty proud to say I had an older sister in the military. But as blessed as I was and AM to have my family, do you realize that the families we have here are temporary? Think about it: I have been divorced, so my family changed at that point, my parents died so it changed again, my brother lives in Hawaii and my sister in Florida so again.. change, we fuss and fight and don't speak anymore. And although we are still family... at some point, things change and family on earth could be no more.

But then you have your church family. Your spiritual family. And yes, all the things that can happen to your immediate family can happen within your church family, but the difference is that because Christ died for us, we as a family have the chance of spending eternal life together. That relationship we have with each other, through Christ is the strongest bond we could ever have, even stronger than our relationships here on earth. Rick Warren said " The moment you were spiritually born into God's family, you were given some astounding birthday gift: the family name, the family likeness, family privileges, family intimate access, and the family inheritance." What a wonderful thing.

As Christians, we have differences, we don't always agree or like what our other Christian family is doing, but lets not let those differences keep us from pushing each other to the ultimate goal.

Yesterday was my daddy's birthday and today is my sister's birthday and I thank God for both of them. And I know that because of what my parents believed, how they lived and the fact that God has given me a chance to make my own life right again, not only did I have the chance to be blessed with my physical family, I know they will and are a part of my spiritual family too and I will see them again!