"All happy families resemble one another"

I am so glad that I am a part of 2 large, happy families. When I was younger I was afraid that when I got married having 2 families of equal importance would be difficult. Now that I'm married, I've found that while it's busy, it is wonderful!

I am so grateful to have 2 sets of parents who get along, a true phenomenon in my personal experience. I am so glad that Chris and I got to spend Thanksgiving at my parents's house with my grandparents, grandma, great grandma, great aunt, uncle, aunt, and cousins, as well as Chris' parents and siblings (read: siblings that currently reside on the same part of the planet that the rest of us do). It was so much fun, and my dad and Leo Tolstoy said it well-- Happy families resemble one another.

Chris's family and my family have this in common: We all love Jesus. Our families are very different (aside from our employment of sarcasm--it's really overworked), there is no getting around that. We have lengthy discussions on how different our families are and could make long lists of pros and cons, but we love them both the same. Neither is better or worse, they are both different and they are both good and they are both trying their best to show the Love of Jesus to the world through the redeemed relationships they hold. I love it.

Naturally, this has led into conversations that resemble topics such as "What will our family be like?" And as of right now, we still have no idea. We know for certain that it will not be quiet. There is no quiet option, really; there never was nor will there ever be. And we're pretty certain that many things we be destroyed, fixed, replaced, and destroyed again. But we have decided that one thing will most certainly be true: above all else, our family will know what is important and focus on that above all else. What is important? Jesus--they chief end of man--glorifying Him and enjoying Him forever. We will do that in our family as well as we can. And I pray that our family will help show others how to achieve that chief end as well.

Some day I will expand this topic of family into adoption. It's a topic that defines my relationship with Jesus, helped me understand the Love of God, and hopefully some day will begin a relationship with some wonderful children my parents are praying for. I start to tear up thinking about the possibility of these children and pray that some day I may be able to help a child understand how much God loves them, something that was (is) hard for me to grasp, by recounting their own history. I may also expand this topic into the very broad topic of children in general some day.

For now, though, I need to stop. If I don't, I'll write for hours and neglect the bible study sections I must complete before Thursday morning. Writing is good, reading and studying is better. I must learn to choose the better option. Oh how philosophical of me..

M