Saturday, October 22, 2011

Dear God,

You brought such sweet news to me this evening. I had invited family members to our home for a costume party, a shared meal, and games. As the noise level heightened with 26 loud family members, food was eaten, Halloween bingo was played with candy corn, prizes were awarded for best costumes, and lights were turned down low as my hubby told a slightly scary story from his youth, you whispered good news to me.

It was November, 2005 when my husband and I went to visit my niece in England as part of my Lilly Clergy Renewal leave. Together for three hours we talked over dinner and there we decided to begin the work of bringing our scattered and shattered family back together again. When they returned to the states after ten years and settled in the midwest, I invited everyone for Thanksgiving dinner knowing that maybe only Angie and her family would come. As it turned out about 25 showed up with food in hand and thereby joined the process of healing in our family. Fences started mending; relationships were brought back together again leaving the betrayals, disappointments and hurts in the past. Trust wove its way back into our hearts and love, stunted for so long, took root. Tonight it was impossible to see the faded lines of the wounds of the past.

Later in the evening as family members left to put their children to bed, we hugged one another and Harold and I stood outside waving goodby as each car pulled away. It was then you uncovered heaven's glorious story in our family's life, one of reconciliation and restoration.

Who can deny
the great work
of your spirit,
Eternal God?
Joy and peace
fill my soul
with gratitude
and thanksgiving
as I acknowledge
your goodness
in our lives.
Let my life
be a testimony
to your grace,
I pray.

Love, Andrea