we are family

I'm back from our whirlwind trip to Kansas City. Though the circumstances surrounding our visit were tragic, I was so blessed to be with my family.

I love my family and don't see them nearly enough. It's sad that it takes a death in the family to bring us all together, but I am grateful that we were all able to gather around Shannon and her kids. And I hope and pray that the bonds that were renewed and healed between us over the past few days continue to grow stronger.

The family picture is actually a small miracle. We, meaning my brothers, sisters, dad and me, had not all been together under one roof for over 30 years--and that was at my mom's funeral. After mom died, the glue that had held us together seemed to disintegrate before our eyes. Marriage, school, bad choices, fear, wounded hearts--all these and more stretched the bonds of our family to the breaking point.

But they never broke, and we were all pulled together again to surround my sister with comfort and love.
I sense that the Lord worked deeply in all of our hearts this past week, in ways that we cannot yet comprehend. Seeds of hope and restoration were planted and, in God's time, fruit will grow. Beauty will rise up from the ashes and all will know that even the tragic death of a child can bring God glory.