Dear Family of Love and Pilgrims on Our Journey,
Today my dad and I went out to my brother and sister-in-law's home to celebrate our youngest family member's 1st birthday. Adela turned 1 this week. She is adorable and is walking up a storm. By the time we got home it was too late for me to walk and my dad was having a food hang up so, I am staying home. Watch your elderly family members with food. Chicken did it this time.
Tonight, I want to talk about the importance of family not just ours but, God's family. We all need to find time to be together as a family. Family goes deeper than blood and DNA. We are all connected by God's creating us in God's image and likeness and if you are Christian through baptism. Bishop Curry even reminded us when he preached a few weeks ago that we share a common female ancestor in Africa. Sometimes we may not feel like we fit in but we do it just takes time and patience to learn how. I have chosen all of you to be my family and our family is quite diverse and many of you I have yet to meet but feel like we have known each other for years. The connection that that has brought us together is Love and prayers, not just Twitter and Facebook! Remember when I told you that today is Self-Care Saturday? Being with family is an important part of self-care. No doubt about it.I'm beginning to feel close again with my blood family because of you. Being in a family unit, it makes us all appreciate what we have, and yes, makes us more mindful of the needs of others. Tomorrow we celebrate Jesus' Presentation in the Temple. This was one of the important makers of consecrated family time for Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Every step of the way from Jesus' birth until his death, resurrection, and ascension, Jesus spent time with family. His Disciples, the women, followers who were not named, and everyone with whom Jesus spent time with was family. God made sure that he thought and felt that same way too. If he didn't, his message of Good News and the gift of salvation freely given wouldn't have been as deeply counter-cultural as it was. So as the song from Sister Sledge says, "We are Family" for that is what we are today, tomorrow, and in the Thin Places. Everyone is family and I enjoy our time together when we walk and pray and when we don't. We have family time and we don't even fight! We love, pray, support, and accept each other where ever we are on life's journey and yes our journey continues! Won't you Walk with me on our journey dear family of love, God, and mine?
**********
Prayers for our family-
Dear God we pray for our family where ever they may be tonight! Keep watch, protect, and defend them from all danger.
We pray for our elders and those who have come before us to pave the way for the life we enjoy. May we continue to learn from them.
We pray for all our young family members who are growing up in troubling and uncertain times. Wrap your blanket around them with your love.
We pray for the family of God that we may be united in love, compassion, and acceptance.
We pray for our family members who are sick, chronically ill and in pain.
We pray that all of our family members may be safe when they travel nearby and far away.
Help us to love, honor, respect and comfort all of our family members and yes even our enemies and those who hate us. We pray for an end to these harmful and divisive acts that make us estranged from one another.
We pray for the concerns of those who are family members remembering____________________
We Give thanks for our family members and especially__________________________
We Celebrate with our family members on the occasion (s) of_______________and especially for ______________
We Remember our family members who are no longer with us especially______________________ Lord, help us to remember them with love and continue to comfort us as we continue to mourn their loss.
Lord God, we offer these prayers, thanksgivings, celebrations, and remembrances to you as your family whom you called us into being and in your image to shine your light and spread the Good News of Love and Salvation to our family members all over the world. Amen.
******************
Good night dear family! Take time to pray, love, live, and laugh and be with your family this weekend. I guess that means when you watch the Super Bowl too!
I love you, you matter, and I give thanks to God for you this day and always!
Love and peace of mind,
Sara
No comments:
Post a Comment