FAMILY - A WONDERFUL WORD

When I was a little girl one of the events that I actually despised with a passion was the trip to Columbia to see my grandfather. Six adults and I would get into an automobile with my uncle driving and away we would go. I had to sit in somebody's lap and I hated that. It would be so hot in the summer and with the windows down and the wind blowing it was just horrible. However, we would eventually get there and we would eat a big meal and then the grown ups would sit on the porch and talk and talk and talk. My cousins and I would wander around the place scaring the poor chickens to death and wanting so badly to go down the "bluff" to the Duck River but we were warned that we would be spanked if we did, and I guess that we were afraid of the river also so we didn't go down there. That is - all except Miller and Ronald and they would strip off their clothes and swim for hours. After all of the grown ups had exhausted their conversations and the food was consumed we would pile into that car and drive back. When I would protest and cry and beg not to go my mother would very calmly say "that is family and you must remember that being a part of a family is most important and don't you ever forget who you are and what your family means to you. They will be there when nobody else will". I have never forgotten those words and I believe it more now than I ever did before.

Last night we had one of those "Family" times. Patrick married Mikka at Madison Church of Christ and it took the whole family to put on the affair. Kim stressed and worried over the arrangements for months and then the big night came. Nita assisted Talisa (a family friend) in decorating the chapel and the reception room, Corinne directed the wedding - making sure that everybody knew exactly what to do and when to do it. Jacque served the punch, Nita cut and served the wedding cake, Tracey cut and served the groom's cake (shaped like a guitar), Samantha who is like a member of the family, came with sandwiches and drinks and fixed Mikka's hair, Kim's hair, Joesea's hair and my hair. After it was all over and the bride and groom left for a dinner and night at the Opryland Hotel (gift from his aunts) all of the family kicked off their shoes and worked for hours cleaning up the reception area, packing up all of the things and leaving the church ready for Sunday services. You have heard it said that "it takes a village" well, it takes a family to put on a beautiful, sweet, fun wedding and that is what we had last night. It was such a happy time and memories were made never to be forgotten.

Today was another Family Day - Anni Grace Routh, Emily and Jackson's daughter, was baptized at Long Hollow Baptist Church. As you might suspect, she had twenty two family members attending this most important day in her life. Somebody said "when one of you does something all the rest come along" and that is so true. There you have that word "family" again. We support each other in every endeavor. I hope and pray that the legacy of family will go on forever.

It is always so good to be with loved ones. At the wedding my sweet sister-in-law, Rose Mary, and her husband Ron, drove from Georgia to attend. Since there was so many pictures to be made and so many people to speak with none of us were able to sit down and visit with Rose Mary and Ron and today that has been the subject of conversation, how much we all regret that we didn't get to spend time with these delightful, loving people. We went to Georgia when their son married and it was one of the best week-ends of my life. Maybe we can make another trip to their lovely home and get caught up on Family Talk. That is one of the problems you encounter at an event like a wedding - just not enough time to visit and enjoy all of the guests that attend. I really don't know how to conquer this malady because there are just so many things that are required of family members. Maybe someone wiser than I will come up with a solution.

When God created Heaven and Earth and put Adam and Eve in the garden He made the first family. It was totally His idea that we should live in this manner and I totally agree. Billy and I married, had children who married and had children, and so on and I am so proud when I look at these people and know that they are my family. We laugh, cry, love and support each other in everything that comes along. God gave me this incredible family because as I have told you many times God is good - all the time.