An Easter Family Hope

As many of you did, today I celebrated the Resurrection of my Lord and Savior.

Today brought about a twinge of pain. I looked around and saw most everyone celebrating this glorious day with their family. Please do not get me wrong, I love my mom and dad, I am blessed beyond measure to have such supportive, Godly parents. However, I'm speaking of FAMILY... you know...the in-laws, and out-laws. The big boisterous bunch. The family, that after a get-together, there are ALWAYS stories of remember when's and so-and-so did such-and-such.

I look at my family, and I wonder what happened. At what point did we let bitterness creep in? At what point was love replaced with lack of support, respect lost to resentment?

Sure...we may all disagree, in face, I KNOW we do, because no two people share the EXACT same ideas, but...Family is STILL Family. When everyone else leaves....they are still the ones there.

I wonder if Grandma was the 'glue' to the family. Yes, I miss her. Especially on days like today! I want to give her hugs, share my Easter outfit with her, know what she thought of the play, share moments that can only be shared with a grandmother. I wonder if people would just take a moment, to stop thinking about themselves long enough to think about another person, would they realize, that while they are protecting themselves from being hurt, they are hurting the other person? Would they realize that one decision can change everything, and affects everyone? While one person feels like an outcast, everyone else is hurting, feeling a 'loss' of what 'used' to be there.

In the meantime, people who aren't directly involved suffer. They miss out on "family". The get-togethers, the holidays, the laughter, the games, the food, the stories. Without the history, and stories what used to be family ceases to exist, the bond is lost, the ties are cut, and people are scarred.

I will leave you with this thought from Amy: (my memory to Grandma)


As I took time today to remember our risen Savior it occurred to me what an awesome correlation there was between His death and our hope. We all have loved ones who we know are in Heaven but the only way that was possible was through His death, burial and resurrection. What an awesome thing to know that because of what He did for us we have hope not only for ourselves but that someday we will see those we love. I don't claim to know what Heaven will be like but I do think that our loved ones that are with God will know us and we will know them.

As Vince Huff played the song Because He Lives it brought encouragement to me. Just think that because of what our Savior did our days are brighter and although it hurts now and we miss those loved ones someday we will see them again and that makes life worth living.



My hope is that Next Easter I will have a family again. A family who loves one another, who cares for one another, and who respects both sides of an opinion.