Finding Faith in the Mess
It was a super windy day. My husband and I were talking in his office when we both noticed that it literally looked like it was raining leaves. The wind was fierce and the trees were ready to drop their leaves. The perfect scenario. I …
The Family Series: In light of the holiday season, I thought it would benefit all of us if we went through a little family series. We all find ourselves spending a little more time with family members we may avoid throughout the year. What better …
The Family Series:
In light of the holiday season, I thought it would benefit all of us if we went through a little family series. We all find ourselves spending a little more time with family members we may avoid throughout the year. What better way to start this season off right, then to talk about the GOOD, the BAD, and the MESSY of family.
Drop a comment and tell us about your favorite “chosen” family member. Share this post and tag them in it.
I remember when we first moved to Texas we didn’t know a soul. The hardest part about leaving California almost twelve years ago was leaving my family. As we settled in, I found my friends; my tribe. I listened to the advice of my sister and joined a MOPS group. I found any and all mommy and me groups I could find because I needed to find my people. It was amazing how quickly these people became our second family out here in those early years. They were there for births, losses, good times, and trials. They saw us through the transition of moving and settling in. They helped us celebrate holidays and birthdays. They were our chosen family.
When my sister decided to move to Texas, we had been here about five years. My dad followed two years behind and let me tell you, it was an adjustment. I absolutely LOVED having my family here. Never in a million years did I think my family would move to the Lonestar state. That first year was incredible but, I had to learn to reincorporate my family back into my life. I had accepted that my friends were my “family” close by. It took my awhile to relearn what it meant to have my real flesh-and-blood down the street.
As the boys got older, my friends changed. My needs shifted and so did the needs of my friends. Our kids grew taking our lives in different directions. Soon after, I met a new group of friends, a life group per-say, and they became ouir people. This time, however, was different.
I learned that my friends cannot take the place of my family. They are an extension; an incredible blessing. But, they will never be my flesh-and-blood. This perspective shift changes how you view and treat your friendships. When you don’t hold them to the high standard of being your family, you lower your expectations of them. When you lower your expectations, you lower your disappointment. You are able to enjoy your friendships on a whole new level.
Your friends are just that: friends. They may feel like family. They may know things about you that your family doesn’t know. They may be there in a way that your family never has been or ever will be. But, they aren’t your family. They are your bonus. Your icing-on the cake. Your gift.
See your family you choose, your friends, for what they are. They are an absolute gift that goes above and beyond the blessings of family. They are meant to enhance your life not fulfill it. They are not Jerry McGuire. They cannot complete you. Only God can do that. Love the heck out of your friends family. Enjoy every second you have with them. Because not everyone gets to choose their family.
Love & Blessings,
Meg
The Family Series: In light of the holiday season, I thought it would benefit all of us if we went through a little family series. We all find ourselves spending a little more time with family members we may avoid throughout the year. What better …
The Family Series: In light of the holiday season, I thought it would benefit all of us if we went through a little family series. We all find ourselves spending a little more time with family members we may avoid throughout the year. What better …
“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do,whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:13-17
Thanksgiving. My favorite. I love this holiday. I love the food. The smells. The sounds. The colors. The shift from summer’s heat to cool crisp air with cobalt blue skies. I love the golden leaves and cold breeze. I love the rest and the family time. I love the anticipation of Christmas right around the corner. I love it all.
With today being Thanksgiving, I thought I’d give you a Top 10 to focus all our hearts on what and where we should truly be grateful. I hope this day is filled with love, laughter, and a ton of pumpkin pie.
Thanksgiving Top 10
I wrote this blog post awhile back. When I reread it I thought it was timely. We are engrossed in the holiday season. We are all chasing something right now. Chasing busy. Chasing the perfect gift. Chasing the perfect meal on the perfectly set table. …
“God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:17 God did not come down to JUDGE the world. He came down to LOVE the world. God. He’s a tough one to figure out. …
Later as they were eating, Jesus appeared to the eleven and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned”.… Mark 16:14-16
We are tribal. We live in our safe little tribes. As much as we would like to deny it, we live, work, eat, and breath with like-minded people. We gravitate towards those that look like us, talk like us, and act like us. We do it without even realizing it. We surround ourselves with the comfort of knowing what to expect from people; the people we allow into our lives and into our space.
Being tribal is not a bad thing. Jesus was tribal. He went out into the world proclaiming the Gospel to all people but retired for the day with his people. He had his tribe and he rested there. We need our safe landing. We need our people who know the deepest darkest parts of us and still love us. We need to walk through life with people who walk similarly. We also need to learn to link arms with those who look and live differently.
Jesus told all of us in Mark to tell his story to everyone. Go out and talk about Jesus to anyone and everyone. We know these verses. I knew these verses before I ever cracked open a Bible. What I notice about this declaration is that while Jesus told us to go and tell the world about him, he didn’t tell us how other than to love Mark 12:30-31 . He didn’t tell the Catholics to go or the Baptists. He didn’t tell the non-denominational believer to be the one to go. He just told us to go. All of us.
We have gotten so comfortable in our tribes, so convinced that our tribe is the only way, that the power we have in linking arms and going to all the world to tell about Jesus has eroded. Our authority is being chipped away by the strength of influence of division. The focus has shifted from go to stay and protect the tribe.
What if we linked arms with other tribes and went together? What if we understood that everyone’s journey to Jesus is going to look a little different and that is okay? That attending a different denomination or adhering to a different way of thought doesn’t keep you from Jesus but, instead, moves you towards him.
We are all trying to do our best to figure this Jesus out. We are all wrestling with our interpretations of the Bible. But, at the end of it all, we can agree that Jesus is what matters. Why can’t we stand together on that principal alone? We do we allow our tribal ways to infiltrate our foundation?
Jesus didn’t tell one tribe, or way of thought, to go. He told us all to go. He didn’t tell us to preach our way of thought. He told us to love. That’s it. We’ve over-complicated a very simple message.
You are loved.
You are valued.
You were made for more.
Let’s link arms and go. Let’s stick with our tribes yet love our neighbor and go together. Let’s love the heck out of this world even though when I look at you and you look at me we look different and disagree on a few things.
Let’s go.
Let’s go together.
Later as they were eating, Jesus appeared to the eleven and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned”.… Mark 16:14-16
Love & Blessings,
Meg
As we enter the holiday season, we all know our schedules will overflow. People are going to ask us how we are doing and we are going to respond with, “I’m so busy.” I don’t want to be busy. I want to be purposeful. “… whatever …