Chosen family

I grew up with my family in Mississippi—my dad and mom and two younger brothers. Bubba is five years younger than I, and Danny is 15 years younger. I left home for college at 17, and I did not turn 18 until I had finished my first semester of college. I did not get to know Danny other than as a baby—all I remember is having to change his diapers!

The five of us were a tight family who spent a lot of time together. My mom had 11 brothers and sisters. Three of her brothers lived in Texas with their families and two other brothers were divorced, so long distances and split families meant that I did not get to know some of my cousins. I don’t really know to this day how many first cousins I have.

My dad had only two younger sisters and they lived with their families in the same town where I grew up, so we spent a lot of time with them—especially on holidays. 

Of course, our church family was an important part of our lives, too. My grandad and grandmother went to the same church as we did.

My immediate family has remained close even though we lived overseas for many years, but we could always pick up right where we left off. We all have a natural family with whom we share the same lineage.

When I left home at 17, I never lived there again as I went to college or worked away from home every summer during college. Cheryl and I started making friends together in our early college years and today my best friend from college and his wife remain very close friends. We have enjoyed vacationing together over the past 30+ years. Our kids call them “uncle” and “aunt.” 

A seminary friend and I were called to the same church in Florida on  the same day. We have been friends of this couple for 48 years. They called us this week just to catch up on us.(Hasn’t it been great how we have all been checking on one another during this crisis!) 

So many missionary colleagues have been part of our larger family over the past 45 years. Our kids have many, many aunts and uncles with whom we have served on three continents. We enjoy getting together each year with some special former missionary colleagues. We meet in our home, and we all look forward to that time of just talking and eating and talking and eating. This past weekend was scheduled to be our annual get together time. Of course we could not meet, so we did the next best thing—we spent Saturday morning together with the help of that rising company called Zoom. The girls were on one call and the guys on another. It wasn’t as good as being in person, but it was a sweet time! 

Cheryl and I have come to call many of these relationships outside our natural families our chosen family. During different seasons of our lives we have had many people in our chosen family. Living in different parts of the world we have not had any of our natural family near us. So we have chosen others to be our family, and in many cases, these are people we love as much as our natural family.

Thank you, Lord, for our natural families, and for allowing us to have a chosen family. 

Do you know the song that goes like this:

I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God.

I’ve been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood.

Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod.

I’m a part of the family. The family of God