Family...

People are continually amazed when I tell them that I left all my family and friends back in Virginia and moved 2,000 miles across country to live in Utah. These same people usually ask the standard questions, "You mean to tell me you don't have any family out here in Utah?" or "Why would you move where you don't have any family or friends?"

I can understand where those questions are coming from, for I can't say that I haven't asked myself those questions a time or two. There have certainly been moments when I've been lonely for my family or the long standing friendships I have back in Virginia. There have been family events (like my Grandmother's 80th birthday party yesterday) that I've missed and felt lonesome for. I admit all this because I don't want you to think that my family is any less important to me for what I'm about to say.

You see, what I would tell all these people that think I'm some courageous young woman who gave up all her family and friends to move out west, is that I never really gave up anything. I drove across country and settled in Utah to find more of my family. And now that I've thoroughly confused you with my talk of not having family in Utah and then coming to find more of my family let me take a moment to explain.

The family I've found here in Utah is blood of my blood through the blood of Christ. Each and everyone of us in this family of ours has had lives saved by the blood of our savior Jesus Christ. Each of us (wherever we found ourselves - in any circumstance or age) said to God I know you sent your son Jesus to earth, that he lived a life without sin, that he went to the cross with all my sin, and he overcame death to live again - that is when the blood of Jesus covered us and we joined the family of God with other "blood relatives".

Wherever I am, whether it's Virginia, Utah, Africa or Antartica when I meet someone who has accepted the gift of Jesus' saving blood, it is there that I found my family.

To share with you the special blessing that I've found in this family, I'm going to tell you about my day yesterday. On the whole yesterday was no different from any other day. I started my morning like any other Sunday and went around with a smile on my face. Though on the inside I was hurting; just sad and grieving. I couldn't help but think of a friend I lost two years ago to suicide. His death was a tragic loss of life, and made even more so by the knowledge that this young man not only didn't acknowledge Jesus as his savior but even turned his anger and bitterness towards God.

It was yesterday during church service when I was touched by memories of this friend and his death. I began crying uncontrollably during the service when we shared communion (a symbolic reminder of Christ's body and blood that was broken in death) together. See, for me communion is a bittersweet reminder of the life that Christ gave that I might have a life of my own. Jesus died that I might live, and I willing accept His gift and want Jesus (very much alive now) to be part of my life. Yet, as I shared communion with my family of believers I couldn't help but think of my friend now lost to us, that never really understood Christ's love or gift of life.

Now before you start thinking that this blog entry is going to be all "preachy" I'll get back to the idea of family. Atleast though you now have the context of how I was feeling and my need for comfort. That's what is so wonderful about the family of Christ, I had all sorts of wonderful comfort from a loving and caring family.

Even when I was crying at church there was a friend there to put their arm around me and let me know that they cared. After church services I had the wonderful distraction of going ice skating with five year old Savannah (her parents are friends of mine from church) who had never been ice skating before. After spending the afternoon with Savannah I was able to call a sister of mine from church, Becky, and she invited me to her home so I wouldn't be feeling sad and alone. Becky and her two sons took me out biking riding and then we had dinner together. After dinner when Becky's sons went to bed, Becky and I were able to talk and she even prayed for me as I was feeling loss over my friend's suicide.

I guess what I'm saying with all this is that even though I'm away from my immediate family in Virginia, who would usually be there with a comforting hug or a shoulder to cry on, I still have all those wonderful blessings from the family I found here in Utah. How thankful I am to God for providing a family that loves and cares for me when I need it most.