I have spoken to you in the past about your chosen family, those folks who are not our blood relatives, but yet are very close in our hearts to being our dearest and closest friends. Last Sunday, Cindy and I missed our church service at Covenant. Instead, we chose to drive to Miami to spend time with a very dear friend of ours for over 45 years, who was celebrating a very deserving special birthday occasion.
Proverbs 17:17 – A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
What I did not realize until we arrived at her Birthday Party was how many of our chosen family members live in Miami. It was great catching up with so many dear friends who we had not seen for a few years now.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 – Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor; 10 for if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up!
We were also blessed to meet a few new people in our Miami chosen family, a few younger people that we had previously heard about from their families, but were not fortunate to have met them individually.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 – Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you also are doing.
Cindy and I could have easily chosen to not have spent our weekend in this way, we could have easily had a reason why we couldn’t make the trip to Miami. But both Cindy and I said we would have regretted this decision had we not gone, because I cannot tell you how good it was to see all these folks again and celebrate such a joyous occasion with them.
Galatians 6:2 – Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.
We would have missed out on the sharing of so much love and laughter for so many people that we had not seen in quite awhile. And that would have been Cindy’s and my loss! Instead, we were able to share our hearts and love again with some very dear people who have meant so much to us over the years.
Colossians 3:12 – So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
Cindy and I will be gone the next two weeks, as we will be visiting our children and, especially, our four dear granddaughters in DC. My next TGIF message will be sent on June 5.