As you know by now, our family is very large, and very inclusive. I wanted to take a moment and address my feelings about who is family and who is not. Pretty much, if you want to be a part of my family then you are included in our family and accepted for who you are.
I suppose that it is because I was adopted and then lost all of those family members when we all grew up and no one seemed to recognize that I was still part of the family after my parents passed away. So I created my own family, was part of a blended family when I was with Bruce, and then was blessed with grandchildren from all of the nine children that we raised. Grandchildren are such a blessing and it did not matter in the least whose child had had a child, we just loved each grandchild that came into our family. And each child was so unique and brought with them the sweetest spirits. There was Alana with her beautiful red hair and big blue eyes and Skeeta who was a little round bubble of mahogany skin, black curly hair, and big brown eyes. We had, of course, an interracial family and each new grandchild had unlimited potential in our eyes. We taught all of the children about the history of their peoples and taught them to be proud of their own color and cultures and accepting of, and rejoicing in, the cultures of their cousins. The children grew up not color-blind, but color proud. It was, and is, my most fervent dream that one day I will sit down to a Thanksgiving dinner and around the table will be people from all of the races on earth who are my grandchildren and great-grandchildren. To me, that would be the greatest honor that God could give to me; to be trusted to love, and raise with dignity, children who seemed very different on the outside, but who were all brought up to love the differences in other human beings and accept all humankind as their family.
These feelings led me to accept into my family anyone who wanted to be a part of our family. I have, besides the original nine, other people who have come into my family and become as a child of mine, and surely loved as a child of mine. My three step-children of Ed's; Julie; the husbands and wives of my children, and their families; and the husbands and wives of my grandchildren, and their families.
Then, there are the friends of my children and grandchildren who become part of the family because they are loved and supported spiritually and like the way our family accepts them and welcomes them.
Each year brings us new people to love; this year has started out with two new great-grandchildren, Milani and Alexa, who was born a week ago. The joy of having a big family is that there are so many people to love you and support you in all that you do, and who come to your aid with comfort and prayer during the tragic times of life. And, oh the celebrations that we observe. We observe the Jewish Holy Days, and all of the Christian holidays, and we learn about Wicca and even have a few atheists in the family. We are an eclectic lot and it is so much fun; you learn so much and become so much more aware of the whole world around you.
Welcome to my family, dear reader, for you have become a part of our lives with your interest in what goes on in such circumstances as we have. You are definitely one of the most important parts of my life as you support my need to write about what I am feeling and experiencing.
God bless and keep each one of you in your own families and may you be richly blessed by their love and support. Change and differences help a person to grow and develop their personalities and I hope that you have the greatest experiences of all in life and maybe reach out and gather more people into your family for the enrichment that they bring. And last, but not least, love is never static but the more you open your hearts and lives for it, the more richly you will be blessed and you will rarely, if ever, become lonely again.
Tomorrow is Friday, the starting of the Sabbath when the sun goes down, and I thought I'd share a little bit of what happens in my home during the Sabbath eve and day. Have a blessed day no matter what is going on in your life; my prayers are with each one of you.
I suppose that it is because I was adopted and then lost all of those family members when we all grew up and no one seemed to recognize that I was still part of the family after my parents passed away. So I created my own family, was part of a blended family when I was with Bruce, and then was blessed with grandchildren from all of the nine children that we raised. Grandchildren are such a blessing and it did not matter in the least whose child had had a child, we just loved each grandchild that came into our family. And each child was so unique and brought with them the sweetest spirits. There was Alana with her beautiful red hair and big blue eyes and Skeeta who was a little round bubble of mahogany skin, black curly hair, and big brown eyes. We had, of course, an interracial family and each new grandchild had unlimited potential in our eyes. We taught all of the children about the history of their peoples and taught them to be proud of their own color and cultures and accepting of, and rejoicing in, the cultures of their cousins. The children grew up not color-blind, but color proud. It was, and is, my most fervent dream that one day I will sit down to a Thanksgiving dinner and around the table will be people from all of the races on earth who are my grandchildren and great-grandchildren. To me, that would be the greatest honor that God could give to me; to be trusted to love, and raise with dignity, children who seemed very different on the outside, but who were all brought up to love the differences in other human beings and accept all humankind as their family.
These feelings led me to accept into my family anyone who wanted to be a part of our family. I have, besides the original nine, other people who have come into my family and become as a child of mine, and surely loved as a child of mine. My three step-children of Ed's; Julie; the husbands and wives of my children, and their families; and the husbands and wives of my grandchildren, and their families.
Then, there are the friends of my children and grandchildren who become part of the family because they are loved and supported spiritually and like the way our family accepts them and welcomes them.
Each year brings us new people to love; this year has started out with two new great-grandchildren, Milani and Alexa, who was born a week ago. The joy of having a big family is that there are so many people to love you and support you in all that you do, and who come to your aid with comfort and prayer during the tragic times of life. And, oh the celebrations that we observe. We observe the Jewish Holy Days, and all of the Christian holidays, and we learn about Wicca and even have a few atheists in the family. We are an eclectic lot and it is so much fun; you learn so much and become so much more aware of the whole world around you.
Welcome to my family, dear reader, for you have become a part of our lives with your interest in what goes on in such circumstances as we have. You are definitely one of the most important parts of my life as you support my need to write about what I am feeling and experiencing.
God bless and keep each one of you in your own families and may you be richly blessed by their love and support. Change and differences help a person to grow and develop their personalities and I hope that you have the greatest experiences of all in life and maybe reach out and gather more people into your family for the enrichment that they bring. And last, but not least, love is never static but the more you open your hearts and lives for it, the more richly you will be blessed and you will rarely, if ever, become lonely again.
Tomorrow is Friday, the starting of the Sabbath when the sun goes down, and I thought I'd share a little bit of what happens in my home during the Sabbath eve and day. Have a blessed day no matter what is going on in your life; my prayers are with each one of you.
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