Respect

This past week, a dear friend of mine lost her dad. My friend and much of her family go to the same church as I do. We have grown close over the years. Since I have grown up being allowed to call my parents’ close friends with the title of Mrs. or Mr. preceding their first name. I only addressed Mr. Floyd in this way to show him the proper respect I held for him. He immediately had a special place in my heart for his years of military service and his love for God and his family. He and Mrs. Ruth were married for a little over 64 years! Mr. Floyd was 84, and he was just a joy to visit.

Accidently Observing

At the funeral, I sat by some dear friends toward the back of the chapel. I did not mean to stare during the ceremony, but from behind, I found myself observing the love of a family. A fifteen-year-old son draped his arm around his mother and provided a shoulder for her to lean on. An eight-year-old son looked into the eyes of his dad needing answers to this eternal thing called death. That father comforted the son by kissing him on the top of his head numerous times during the ceremony. I watched a grandson rub his grandmother’s back while she in turn patted her mom, Mr. Floyd’s bride.

A precious young lady sat with the family because she was a beloved adopted-in granddaughter by choice. I smiled when I saw how she was consoled by Mr. Floyd’s grandson as they now shared the same loss of their papa. Another granddaughter, who has struggled from time to time, spoke about her grandfather who always encouraged her to never give up. Sitting close to me was a first-grade great-grandchild, from a second marriage, draw a picture of the casket with the American flag proudly displayed. She added about eight small boxes with squiggly lines inside. See looked up and whispered, “These were all the tissues to wipe everyone’s eyes.”

The Eternal Life of a Christian 

There was sadness last week, but good news as well. Mr. Floyd was a Christian. The family took great comfort in knowing he was out of pain because the Great Physician had healed him completely.

Changes in our Culture

Sadly, I think the number of Godly family matriarchs and patriarchs are dwindling in numbers. It doesn’t take a data analysis to notice the decline in the American family unit. Today’s family often looks different from the ones just a generation back, and there is a drastic contrast to the ones from the 1940’s and 50’s. Today, there are many single-parents, parent and step-parent, young parents living with his/her parent, and grandparents rearing grandchildren homes. As a teacher, I am seeing more and more single grandparents raising one or more grandchildren. I know several situations in which a child lives with the step-parent and new-step-parent, not related at all.  Most recently, we have the newest family unit, the same-sex parents.

The Same God 

The good news is that the same God who helped those more traditional families raise their kids has not changed! He desires to help the current parenting generation. He longs for us to make Him a priority in our families today. I think many more households in the past revered God in such high esteem and knew He was essential to their existence. What is holding us back from incorporating God in our daily family lives? God intended family to support, encourage, and comfort.

I long for a world where God is the center of all families.