Visiting in Winterset, Iowa, at John Wayne’s birth place

    I have just spent about a month with all types of family, i.e., daughter, son in-law, his mom and her boyfriend, my brothers and their wives, significant others, their children and grandchildren. Even though we don’t pick our family, God does. He knows our links and connections before we are born. I think He bonds us through blood so we get/understand the love we need in order to hold on to these people we may not see often or even like. I’m not saying I don’t like my family but we don’t all get along the way God wants us to. We tend to speculate, judge and hold each other accountable for many things, real or imagined. What I get out of this mess of human frailty and imperfection is that God’s love is enough for all of us. God’s love is perfect. We can drink each other in with God’s unconditional, forgiving love. Hallelujah.

The Lord appeared to him from afar, saying, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness. – Jeremiah 31:3

     Jesus told his disciples that He did not come to bring peace to the earth, but a sword -Matthew 10:34.  Jesus goes on to say He came to SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER… etc. I believe Jesus knew this sounded harsh, but, He knew we had to love Him first and then love others with His love in order to forgive and love without the human element, i.e., judgement, speculation, and prejudice.  We have to let go of those who would oppose our love for the Lord first and pick up the cross, our cross through Jesus Christ.  This means we learn to love from God’s perspective. Then we can truly love our families and see them through God’s eyes, a perspective I am beginning to treasure.  As I love my family through God’s eyes, I treasure them all the more.  After all, they are gifts from the great Creator!  Thanks be to You, oh Lord.  Amen.

Having a lovely day with husband, brother Jeff and sister in-law Debbie

One of John Wayne’s personal cars