Its a Family Matter

To date, I have not been “blessed with children,” as they say. At least it would appear that way to the casual observer. On closer inspection I have more beautiful children than I could ever have dreamed for. I am the proud aunt of three dynamic nieces, and one profoundly adorable nephew with another addition on the way. I love my nieces and nephew. I watch them with the pride and adoration as great as any parent.

They range in age from 18 to 1 year. They are each as different from each other as their fingerprints. I was there for most of their births and they have been an integral part of my life ever since. I have watched them each grow, learn, strive and become the people they are today. All have their full futures before them and I for one cannot wait to be a part of their lives as they journey forward.

My eldest niece loves to play sports, is a beautiful singer and a fashion icon to her friends. She is kind and gentle and has a wonderful laugh that welcomes you in. She is off to college in a year and I know she will light up that campus.

My middle niece is brilliant. She probably doesn't want us to know that, but I have rarely been around someone with such a sharp and quick mind. She is a beautiful pianist like her late grandfather and loves to act in school plays. She is becoming a world class fencer and I hope to watch her win an Olympic gold metal one day soon.

My youngest niece is the mischievous one. The one my brother lets get away with everything. She consumes books like they are oxygen. She is happiest when she is cooking or baking for others and loves making crafts. She makes people feel loved just by her presence.

My nephew, the one-year old, is the charmer. He has a smile that lights up the stars. He loves to “furniture cruise” and explore and get into everything found at knee level. One smile from his dimpled face and my troubles melt away. He is going to make a wonderful big brother to his soon-to-be sibling.

As you can see, if I haven’t bored you completely, I love watching these children grow. While my nieces and nephew were not born to me, they are mine. They are my family. Because I don’t have children of my own, I cannot say this for certain, but I do not think I could love them more if they had been born to me. I would shake the earth to its foundation to protect them. That’s what family does for family.

I think that’s what it must be like for God. He has only One true son, but we are all His children. (John 1:12-13). He has adopted us - we are His and He is ours. We are God’s family.

God was there the day we were born and He will be there when we die. He has watched over us everyday we have taken a breath. He has been with us when we struggle and when we succeed. He has been with us when we celebrate victories and when we suffer crushing defeats. He knows our darkest secrets and He knows our deepest desires.

Like any parent, I think God loves nothing more than watching us and helping us grow into the people we are today. And the people we will become tomorrow. And I know with all certainty, that God loves us as much as He loves His only Son. There is nothing He would not do for us. God will shake more than the foundation of His earth to protect us. In fact, He already did when He sacrificed His Son, our Brother, for us.

That’s what family does for family.
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Love Song

I love listening to songs on the radio. I almost always have the radio playing when I am driving in the car. When I was a kid I loved listening to the radio with my friends as we would try to be the “25th caller” and win prizes from the DJ. Funny, how every time I seemed to be the 24th caller. And I don’t remember ever falling asleep growing up without setting my alarm clock/radio’s timer and listening to tunes while I drifted to sleep.

Have you ever noticed how there seems to be a song playing somewhere on your radio dial that fits your mood? Whether you are in a fun and festive mood, or a sad and somber mood you will find a song playing that fits. There are songs that transport us to earlier times, songs that inspire and songs that call us to action. But no matter what our individual song style may be, in the songs we love most it is ourselves we find reflected in them. And there is a reason for that.

Most every song on the radio is a song about love. No matter whether the song is country/western, rock and roll, a soft ballad, top-40 or Motown all songs at there core are songs about love. Sometimes the love is overt and apparent and sometimes the love is hidden in the words and music, but the love is there.

If you are like me, you sometimes sing to the radio and imagine you are singing to someone special (or a whole concert hall full of special someones). That’s what love does to us; it makes us want to connect. It draws us closer. It heals our wounds. It inspires us. It comforts us when we are sad. It parties with us when we are joyful. Songs are the threads that tie and bind us. They are as necessary as water.

Now, instead of you singing to someone special, imagine someone special singing your favorite song to you. The next time you hear your favorite song imagine that someone who is completely in love with you is singing. They are singing your song to you, only you and the whole world is listening. Hear the words of love and adoration come from their lips and wrap around you while they tell you how much you are loved and needed. Let that love sink in.

Imagine God is that the special someone singing your favorite song to you. Listen to the words as they come from the speakers and imagine that God is their originator. And He is singing them directly to you. Kind of makes the love bigger, deeper, forever. God is love. There can be no love without God present. There is even a love song in the scriptures. In Song of Solomon, also known as Song of Songs, God uses an entire chapter of the bible to sing to you a love song. God has not stopped singing either. God is love and God loves expressing it.

So, God is there in that rock song from the 70s you love so much. God can be found in the latest tune on the radio. God loves us so very much and He is communicating that to us in a million different ways each and everyday.

And sometimes He does it through the songs on the radio.
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