Very Precious, Second-to-None Gift...

Happy Family Day!

Today's Family Day was spent with

cherished church-family

as a dear brother was laid to rest...

He was a son, a brother, a husband and a dad.

The tender tributes by his family

 surely roused in the hearts of everyone present

a kinder and humbler commitment to love one another,

to help one another

and cherish our families 

while we can!

Let's make every day Family Day💝💞💕

How suddenly (what may at first glance seem quite commonplace)

the ordinary becomes sacred!

The gift of family is life’s imperfect, Perfect Best

Epitome of love fulfilled and sorely put to test

How blessed we are with words like ‘husband’ and ‘wife’, ‘mom’ and ‘dad’

When life is Brother-sister-gramps-and-gram, aunt-uncle glad

For in the end all that remains of all we now embrace

Are memory-mementos of a bygone time and place

How humbly then, as today brims with opportunity

We ought to love each other like a great big family

When life’s sweet circle breaks as death collects its ordained due

It makes us more aware of little words like ‘me-and-you’

And stirs a deeper thankfulness, even while love’s tears fall

For the kind gift of family, life’s dearest gift of all

Life is too short to waste in bickering and blow-for-blow

Today is for forgiving because none of us can know

Who will be next to leave behind the rest of us to weep

Over precious mementos that the heart alone can keep

So, by God’s grace, while we are still on this side of the grave

Let's vow to live and love as if today is all we have

Where, nothing remains commonplace as we begin to see

The precious, second-to-none gift of love of family

© Janet Martin

John 13:34 ESV 

A new commandment I give to you, 

that you love one another:

 just as I have loved you, 

you also are to love one another.