Monday, July 2, 2007

Dearest God,

I have looked forward to welcoming my daughter and her family to Maine. I remember the last time Jill visited. It was a very cold day in November, 2005. The weather in Indiana was cold and icy. Before they could fly out of their connecting flight in Detroit, they had had to deice the plane. Fearful of flying Jill was sorely frightened. But you had placed a loving Christian couple within her reach and they had shared their lives of faith with one another across Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York and Massachusetts.

I remember waiting, flights delayed. And finally I recall her face as I saw her step onto the escalator near the baggage claim where I was waiting. Although we live in close proximity I had not seen her for two and a half months because of my renewal leave. I hurried to the bottom of the escalator to embrace my youngest daughter. We were so glad to see one another.

And now Jill was coming to visit with her husband and two daughters. When they pulled up at the curb in front of our home, I jumped up and down, did a little twist thing and hollered. Gabrielle, my seven year old granddaughter was expecting this little display of happiness. We hugged, one after another.

We took a tour of our house, Gabrielle loving the next room more than the last. As we toured the backyard, Gabrielle dubbed our outdoor bench a "storytelling bench." I suspect we'll sit there and tell stories, read books, share together.

How fun it is to welcome family to our home, to embrace them like long lost cousins now found. We are making intentional memories, ones to be long remembered, shared periodically to embolden our relationships with one another. Value: priceless.

Loving God,
you bind us together,
making us a family.
We reach out to one another,
discovering the glory of love
within ourselves.
These moments of sharing,
give us pause
to celebrate,
reflect upon the lives
we share together.
Memories,
you are making memories
inside us.
Memories
that will never die.
A trust held by all.

Love, Andrea