Well first I've like to share the exciting news that my Ruthie is going to be a Clemson Tiger! : ] I couldn't be more proud of her - or excited for what God has for her there. I'm the picture of the proud older sister this morning as I share that with you. It's also nice that she'll be a little closer to me. As long as she keeps progressing south I'll be happy.
Family is so important to me and as I chatted with a friend about that the other day I was really struck with our blessed I am. Being told I was lucky was a pretty regular occurrence for me during my childhood (and still today) but normally this was a result of Dad's career choice. In my old age of 23 I would argue that luck has had nothing to do with my life but that my parents hard work and the blessings they've received for seeking God's will for their lives has had everything to do with where we are today.
I have a beautiful, wonderful family and my upbringing has taught me how to love and appreciate them in a way that I'm sad to see is abnormal. The more time I spend with teens at my job, teaching them the skills they need to have successful relationships the more I realize that I am in a minority of people who were taught these fundamentals at home.
Now, my sisters and I laugh about some of the methods my parents used to teach us some of life's lessons - or the extreme efforts they put in. For example, I remember on summer vacation when I was about 5 having one "practice conversation" after another about how to say no to drugs. At age 5 I'm not sure I was aware what I was even saying no too but rest assured even my tone of voice was perfect my 5 and a half. Thanks Dad.
I read a book a while back called "My Sisters Keeper" (Jodi Picoult - my favorite author and one of my literary heroes). The book follows a relationship between two sisters as one is battling cancer and the other finds herself caught between donating more and more of herself, or cost her sister her life. As I read the book I cried and cried trying to imagine having to battle for one of my sisters lives and what price I would be willing to pay for either of them. I called and left my sisters crying voicemail messages that night I'm sure they didn't understand telling them they could have any of my organs they needed. And I sent Rach the book for her birthday this year (don't worry Ruthie, you'll get one yet!).
The more I fight to teach and to show the teens of Tampa about true love and successful relationship building - the more thankful I become for the kind of love Christ modeled. The love my parents have for each of us three girls. And the type of love they taught us to have for God, for them, for each other, and for others.
"And the greatest of these is love" - 1 Corinthians 13:13
Love,
B
Family is so important to me and as I chatted with a friend about that the other day I was really struck with our blessed I am. Being told I was lucky was a pretty regular occurrence for me during my childhood (and still today) but normally this was a result of Dad's career choice. In my old age of 23 I would argue that luck has had nothing to do with my life but that my parents hard work and the blessings they've received for seeking God's will for their lives has had everything to do with where we are today.
I have a beautiful, wonderful family and my upbringing has taught me how to love and appreciate them in a way that I'm sad to see is abnormal. The more time I spend with teens at my job, teaching them the skills they need to have successful relationships the more I realize that I am in a minority of people who were taught these fundamentals at home.
Now, my sisters and I laugh about some of the methods my parents used to teach us some of life's lessons - or the extreme efforts they put in. For example, I remember on summer vacation when I was about 5 having one "practice conversation" after another about how to say no to drugs. At age 5 I'm not sure I was aware what I was even saying no too but rest assured even my tone of voice was perfect my 5 and a half. Thanks Dad.
I read a book a while back called "My Sisters Keeper" (Jodi Picoult - my favorite author and one of my literary heroes). The book follows a relationship between two sisters as one is battling cancer and the other finds herself caught between donating more and more of herself, or cost her sister her life. As I read the book I cried and cried trying to imagine having to battle for one of my sisters lives and what price I would be willing to pay for either of them. I called and left my sisters crying voicemail messages that night I'm sure they didn't understand telling them they could have any of my organs they needed. And I sent Rach the book for her birthday this year (don't worry Ruthie, you'll get one yet!).
The more I fight to teach and to show the teens of Tampa about true love and successful relationship building - the more thankful I become for the kind of love Christ modeled. The love my parents have for each of us three girls. And the type of love they taught us to have for God, for them, for each other, and for others.
"And the greatest of these is love" - 1 Corinthians 13:13
Love,
B
2 comments:
that is one of my favorite authors and i absolutely loved that book too! i felt the exact same way about my sister as you did. we obviously were raised in much the same way because family is the most important thing in my life, next to God. and it saddens me to think that some people just don't have that. i can't imagine life any other way!
hope you have a great weekend! and enjoy all the warm weather you can. it's spitting snow/rain here and is only 33 degrees. YUCK!
-bran
What a sweet post! I remember when my sister and I would leave the house and my Dad would yell out, "Arrive Alive!" and "Remember where you came from!" My sister and I would laugh, but now I know how lucky I was that my Dad was there and worried so much. It is amazing the clarity that comes with age... <3, Sarah
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