I recently was blessed with a family vacation. This vacation included some much needed time with Jane’s aunts, uncles and cousins from the Illinois side of the family. It also included a day with my side of the family, and of course time with my lovely wife and girls.
I have learned to enter vacation with not only a need for some family time, rest and relaxation, but also with an expectation for God to do some needed repairs and tune-up on my faith and my heart.
I used to be so selfish and naïve that I thought vacation was me having a break from God’s “potter’s wheel”. No way! I believe my vacations are the time that God “puts the petal to the metal” and intensifies the molding and shaping that this hard headed, broken child needs. Well, needless to say, this vacation was no different.
The lesson for this vacation was “Family Is Fragile”. We never know how much time we have with the loved ones that God has blessed us with. No matter if we see eye to eye or have a super close relationship, family is a gift to be treasured.
Days after leaving Jane’s family, her uncle was severely burned on his face and arms from a brush fire accident. Family is Fragile. Hours after leaving my dad, he was rushed to the hospital to have his stomach pumped for a “still unknown” cause. Family is Fragile.
Not only that, I hurt the feelings and let down in some way each of my immediate family members while on vacation. I feel like my words and choices are like a bull in a china shop sometimes. Family is Fragile.
God reminded me of the responsibility that I have to not only treasure the gift of family as time is short, but also treasure the gift of family through my attitude, words and actions.
Family does equal fragile, which is why we need to live out this truth: The Fragile in safe hands equals peace. If I continually place my family in God’s hands, they are safe!
I can have peace for whatever tomorrow holds because God holds tomorrow. Not only that, if I continually place my life (attitude, heart, words, actions) in God’s hands, my family is safe! They are safe because this “bull in the china shop” is being tamed and broken by the Almighty God! And this Almighty God, well, His hands are big enough to hold, strong enough to save and gentle enough to heal.
“The LORD will fulfill [his purpose] for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever--
do not abandon the works of your hands.” Psalm 138:8 (NIV)