We love, agree and disagree, and we share. One of the things that I am most thankful for is family. When I was growing up, I never wanted to leave my family. When it was being discussed that I should leave my family and attend a high school severall hours from my home, it literally made me sick to think that I would not be able to come to my family every night. I needed my family of two loving parents and three brothers. Beyond them, I had an aunt and uncle next door who sometimes seemed as parents also for me--especially when in trouble or when I needed to be needed. These were my immediate family. But as with most families, I also had grandparents on both sides of my family and each side also had aunts and uncles and cousins. They too were so important to me. I sat down recently and counted 54 people that I can call family just by joining 2 families together. And I might have miscounted. By getting married myself, I have added even more family members, more than I can literally number with accuracy. Families just keep growing and growing. And the formerly close family relationships grow further apart. Family reunions get dropped or changed because families no longer have close relationships and then relatives no longer recognize each other. Still, I love my family--7 of them I see regularly. Of my immediate family--I wish I could see them every day. I plan to be able to do that just as soon as I can when Jesus comes to join us all as one big happy family.
We have other families. We have community families, we have work families, we have church families, we have extended families. Sometimes members of those families become closer than your own families.
Family relationships are enduring and important for well-being across the days of life.
There are several kinds of family relationships—marital, intergenerational, and sibling ties—and all have an important influence on our well-being. These relationships can be complex with great attention to diverse families, unexpected benefits of relationship strains, and unique joining of social levels. What is a family relationship in simple words? A family relationship involves interaction between all the members. It usually includes living under one roof, communicating, taking care of each other, dealing with challenges, carrying forward family traditions, and giving each member a sense of belonging.
There are several characteristics that identify a well-functioning family. Some include: support; love and caring for other family members; providing security and a sense of belonging; open communication; making each person within the family feel important, valued, respected and admired. In healthy family relationships, people trust and rely on each other for support, love, affection and warmth. Families often share common goals and work together to reach those goals (example--children and young people may help their families get the dinner dishes done so that everyone can relax or join in an activity).
A caring family means unwavering and unconditional support. It means going above and beyond to care for someone, not out of obligation but out of genuine love and concern for their health, happiness and well-being. There are many ways, both big and small, to make that bond strong and demonstrate what it means to care like family.
There are 5 C's and 3 C's of healthy family relationships. They are competence, confidence, connection, caring/compassion and character. A strong and healthy relationship is built on Communication, Compromise and Commitment.
Six characteristics of strong families:
Strong families express appreciation and affection. ... Strong families have a strong commitment to each other. ... Strong families spend enjoyable time together. ... Strong families manage stress and crisis effectively. ... Strong families have a sense of spiritual well-being.
I am lucky enough to have had all of that in my life and I will be eternally grateful. My family has given me a taste of what God wants His family to be like in His Kingdom! I am one lucky girl in that I have brothers that love me! Brothers that I love dearly. Brothers that I share family history stories of fun and of arguments with. Brothers that I am so glad were given just to me! Brothers that continually show me how much they value me as a sister. Brothers that care about me. Brothers that I can rely on for help. And each one helps me in their own unique ways, ways that include God given talents they have devoted to caring for others. I don't ever want to take them for granted! As a family we share an inheritance of the family farm. We all share equally! We have agreed to this and would not want it any other way.
This week each of them has shown me their love. Two have given advice. One has taken on a responsibility that we needed to have done. One has shown me his love by checking up on me. With the medical issues I have had recently, he has made sure to come or call me and check on how I am doing almost daily. It has meant so much! I thank God for all of them!!!!!!
We all have an Elder Brother. His name is Jesus. And now we are brothers and sisters in God's family because of the blood of Jesus, and he welcomes us to come into the most holy sanctuary in the heavenly realm—boldly and without hesitation. Sadly, if my relationship with my brother is too easy for me to take for granted, so too can be my relationship with Jesus. Some of the most distracted and anxious times in my life have been when I have been consumed with thoughts of myself and my own ‘spiritual state,’ rather than fixing my eyes on Jesus, who is the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).
Jesus is says: I am your brother. You are bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh (Ephesians 5:29-32). What is mine—all that I have achieved as God’s beloved Son now belongs to you. I share my eternal inheritance with you (Romans 8:15-17). You belong to me, and I belong to you; my Father is your Father!’ (e.g. Matthew 11:27-30; 12:49; John 17:22, 24, 26; Hebrews 2:17-18; Romans 8:15, 29, 39)
One writer pointed out, we are caught up into the bigger love story that lies at the heart of the universe; the love of God the Father for His Son through the Spirit to the glory of God. And we really are now part of that story. We are partakers of the divine love and co-heirs in His glory. We have a permanent place at His family table! We share equally. We wouldn't want it any other way!
And I am so grateful for the 4 sons that God has given me. They are brothers. They love and care for each other in the same way as my own brothers do me and me them. I love to see them work together in love and trust as a family
I am so glad for my family. God has given me a family that I can trust. I can trust my brothers, I can trust my sons. I am so glad for their love and care! Another favorite, --
I’m so glad I’m a part of the Family of God, I’ve been washed in the fountain, Cleansed by His blood, Joint heirs with Jesus As we travel this sod, I’m so glad I’m a part Of the family of God.
I'm so glad I'm a part of the Family of God, I've been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His Blood! Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod, For I'm part of the family, The Family of God. You will notice we say "brother and sister" 'round here, It's because we're a family and these are so near; When one has a heartache, we all share the tears, And rejoice in each victory in this family so dear.
I'm so glad I'm a part of the Family of God, I've been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His Blood! Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod, For I'm part of the family, The Family of God. From the door of an orphanage to the house of the King, No longer an outcast, a new song I sing; From rags unto riches, from the weak to the strong, I'm not worthy to be here, but PRAISE GOD! I belong!
I'm so glad I'm a part of the Family of God, I've been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His Blood! Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod, For I'm part of the family, The Family of God. (written by Bill and Gloria Gaither)
Brothers! I have three! We love, agree and disagree, and we share.
I see God through my brothers!
They show me how much my Heavenly Brother loves me! I am thankful!
