Family...the Joy of my Heart

     What is it that brings you joy? What lifts your spirit and energizes you? For me, family does that...especially spending time away from the day to day routine with my family all around me. I recently had the opportunity to spend time in a wonderful, colorful, city in the south where my son and his wife live. My younger son came to join us from college and, of course, we had our teenage daughter with us. It was a fabulous, fun weekend even though we did nothing too extraordinary.
     A crucial part of our "family fun" recipe is...playing board games. We all love a little bit of friendly competition and have such fun laughing, talking, and strategizing around the table as we play. Of course, every now and then "someone" (me) gets a little irritated at "someone else" (my hubby) for taking the game a little too seriously. But it's always fun to kiss and make up at the end!
     We also enjoy sharing meals together, whether at a favorite, familiar restaurant, or a newly discovered one. Again, this is another opportunity to converse and catch up with one another now that we have grown kids who are not living at home. It's time away from television, computers, IPods and phones where we can look one another in the eye and really talk.
     Doing something active outside is another thing we, as a family, like to do. This weekend, as is often the case, it was playing tennis and going on moped rides. Yes, that hereditary competitive drive kicks in a bit during our tennis games, too, but, we have fun  anyway! Don't they say, "The family that plays together stays together?" We'll, I believe that's true! There's nothing like riding on the back of a moped with your son as he flies over bumps and dips maneuvering through heavy traffic while you "hang on for dear life" to bring you close.
     It doesn't take a lot of money to enjoy some family fun and to reconnect with each other...and it is so important to parents and kids alike.
     I am so proud of my children for all they have accomplished so far in their young lives, but, the thing that makes me the proudest is that they are doing their best to walk with God and to give him glory for their accomplishments. They know to whom they owe their lives and their
salvation...JesusChrist himself.
     Of course, my children have a long way to go as they grow into  maturity and gain experience in this life and they will certainly stumble many times along the way. But we have raised them to know and love Christ and to stay close to his people, the church. We have done our best and have placed them in His worthy hands to do the rest. We will always pray for our children, of course, and will love and support them the best that we know how. But Jesus Christ will finish His work in them in His time.
     Right now, I'm just thankful for little things, like weekends away with them playing tennis and board games and laughing our heads off at each other and moped  rides over bumpy roads...