Home + Family = Blessing

by
Suzann Darnall

I was going to write about one of the many things going wrong in our country right now, but decided instead to focus on a little bit of what it right in this world of ours. I feel prompted to do this because our family has a very special event happening this weekend. A few of them, in fact.

My second granddaughter has chosen to be baptized into membership in our church. So, that is reason number one for my feelings of joy and gratitude, as well as my desire to focus on the positive rather than the negative for these next few days. Because of this special event we will have a couple of family gatherings on the weekend and get to attend church as an extended family on Sunday. Truly the times to be cherished in life!

While perusing the Internet in search of inspiration for a title for this posting, I came across this wonderful saying:

Having a place to go is HOME.
Having someone to love is FAMILY.
Having both is a BLESSING.

I cherish this knowledge of being blessed. I know it is not something everyone can say at this time. Some have lost their homes due to the struggling and possibly failing economy. Others have lost family members due to the seemingly never ending wars around the world and violence here at home. Hard to count one's blessings in the midst of such tragedies. But, those of us who can, should . . . and we should reach out a helping hand and loving heart to those less fortunate that they too might be reminded that there is still some good in the world.

There is the good of a little girl deciding she wants to dedicate her life to the Lord. There is the occasion of her family and friends wanting to come together to celebrate this special decision. The opportunity for family who lives far apart to join together in love and fun. There is the joy in seeing the young cousins play and pray as the weekend goes on. The happiness of multiple generations sharing food and stories. There is much worth thanking the Lord for providing.

So, for a few days I will set aside . . . as best I can . . . the woes of politics and look upon the faces of my grandchildren to see the truly important reasons for living. I will hold my husband tight, kiss my daughters, hug my son-in-law, visit with my parents, and spend time with my youngest brother. We will shop for antiques, talk politics, eat good food, celebrate life, pray for one another, bond together, sing hymns, read the scriptures, and do all those traditional God-fearing American activities that seemingly scare the Liberals out of their minds.

In short, we will exercise our freedoms as granted us by the Constitution, particularly our freedom of religion. We will pursue happiness as we choose and see fit. We will honor our God and honor His Sabbath. We will ask for blessings upon ourselves, our troops, and our country. We will be Christians and count that as a great blessing. Thank the Lord for the opportunity given us this weekend to do so!

My family is very important to me. I have been married to my husband for more than 36 years. We have two daughters and five grandchildren. We have lived coast-to-coast and in Japan. We have made it through good times and bad, being lucky enough to have the good outweigh the bad, thank the Lord. I cherish each moment with my husband and my family. They are the center of my world and the greatest blessings of my life. I thank God for them every single day.

I have a home, I have a family, and I feel incredibly blessed. I know the world is not the sunshine-filled place a Pollyanna would have us believe, but I also know it is not a dark hole of doom and gloom. There is much light to be found if we will just seek through the shadows and open the doors or windows the Lord provides in our hearts and minds.

Happiness is a choice. I choose this day to select it as my default . . . at least for this weekend. Come Monday, who knows? Maybe Obama and his cohorts will have dropped another trillion tons of disaster upon our collective citizen heads. But, until then, I want to smile and enjoy my family. I want to count my blessings. I want to live in the light. I want to celebrate my liberty to be who I choose. I pray the same can be possible for all y'all as well!

© Suzann C. Darnall, OCTOBER 2013