Family…

Family…what does this evoke in your mind? Most likely it goes to the people closest to you biologically; parents, siblings, spouse, children, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, in-laws etc.

I cherish my biological family. We are a large family of nine…my parents and seven children. I am their sixth child of the seven; both parents have passed as well as my oldest brother. The memories we have made…and will continue to make…are precious to me.

I have another family that is just as precious. Ephesians 1:5 states, that God planned in advance to adopt us into His own family through Jesus Christ. In doing so we gain the benefits of being a part of a family of faith. These benefits include, supporting each other during times of trials and burden (Galatians 6:2), encouraging each other (1 Thessalonians 5:11), cheering one another on in acts of love and service (Hebrews 10:24) and to grieve alongside those who are grieving and to rejoice with those who rejoicing (Romans 12:13). Basically, walk through life together!

It is natural for our biological families to become spread out, distanced by circumstances and miles; which makes becoming a part of a local family of faith especially important!

This past Sunday I experienced this firsthand. A small group of my church family gathered at Buddy’s Pizza to celebrate my upcoming birthday! This secret event was spearheaded by a dear friend, Alice, who conspired with my sweet hubby to make it an afternoon I will cherish forever.

Alice diligently worked on a special diamond art project as a birthday gift for me. If you’re not familiar with “Diamond Art”, it is a type of craft that requires the placement of very small, sparkling resin “diamonds” of various colors onto a pre-printed canvas to create a sparkling mosaic work of art.

Alice had the vision of creating an image of my sweet dog, Poppy, wearing a Detroit Tiger’s hat and sunglasses with an American Flag backdrop! This project took her two months to complete and the placement of 10,824 diamonds!

I felt so blessed and my heart was filled with joy overflowing. My church family has support me through grief, encouraged me in times of trials and celebrated with me in times of joy. I am so grateful to have such a compassionate second family!