Family

As I sit down to write tonight I am thinking about family. I am thinking especially about my own immediate family. I’ve got a new family. A new virtual family but a lot like a real family. The family’s name is BloggerFamily. Founded by Maknyak on December 2003. That was last year! Day by day in a year we built a very strong relationship, really like family-thing. We got joy, we got sad, we got all the things to share.
As I think about the distance between us, I am thankful that though we are physically separated by many miles, spiritually we are forever tied together. We are a family.
In its narrowest sense, family refers to those people with whom you share DNA. Telltale signs of your closest biological ties might be such things as large ears, dimples, or hairline. But most of us speak of family at the more abstract level the soldier had in mind as well a team, a club, a company, a political party, the citizens of a city, state, or country.
It isn’t biology alone that defines the circle of those we love or the people with whom we share daily routines. We define ourselves positively by choosing to protect the welfare and interests of others.
Families face a tremendous challenge today. With all the pressures, distractions, and obstacles in our path, how are we to remain close and keep the family alive, but healthy? Do we have what it takes for a family to remain together when schedules attempt to pull them apart?
It takes determination for a family to continue to stay in touch when jobs, school, recreation, and relationships try to pull them apart. It takes a real commitment for a family to remain close when everything around tries to tear it apart. It takes a dependence on God for a family to survive the attacks being launched by the enemy of the family. It will not just happen.
Let me assure you that our family is no different than any other. There are times we seem to be miles apart when we are all in the same room. There are times we act as though we have never heard the word “communicate” much less want to do it. There are times when it seems that to express our feelings is the most difficult thing in the world. There are times when it seems that no one wants us to express our feelings. Then, there are times when it seems that we all want to express our feelings at the same time and that “my” feelings are all that matters.
There are times when we cannot wait to be together. Then, there are times we cannot wait to be apart. There are times we cannot wait to share the latest news. Then, there are times we are determined not to share anything. There are times when there is no other person on the universe we’d rather be with than our family. Then, there are times when we would prefer to be with anybody in the universe rather than our family. There are times when we ache to be together. Then, there are times that being together makes us ache.
That is family. We love each other. We encourage each other. We hurt each other. We long for each other. We misunderstand each other. We want what’s best for each other. We try to understand each other. We would die for each other.
Here are four suggestions on keeping your family healthy:

Tonight I’m thinking about family. I am thinking about my family. I am thinking of our family. I love my family. I am thankful that God chose to give us families.
Take a minute to look around you now. See team and club, company and parties. Then determine anew to honor your place in “the family.”
It’s BloggerFamily!
Welcome to the family!
Today it’s BloggerFamily‘s birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!