Family by M. Huster

I have always been a family kinda of girl. I have been so blessed with a wonderful family from my dad and mom's side. It doesn't take long to know how blessed you are until you talk with others and the pain that their families have inflicted.

So what can I say about my extended family....They are all precious to me. My dad is one of seven my mom one of three girls. All of my aunts have mothered and nurtured me throughout my life. My uncles have been like Grandpas, always making me feel so special and like my life was so important. I have an endless number of cousins and they have been my closest friends through life.

Moving out here to San Diego to plant a church has had its sacrifices. For me, my extended family. Thankfully, we have phone calls and emails but when tragedy strikes, I am just too far away.

My Aunt Katie and Uncle Marshall (my dad's sister and her husband) have produced so much laughter in my life. They are super friendly and funny. You can hear my Aunt Katie laughing for miles! She has the greatest laugh! Uncle Marshall has all the funny stories and keeps you on the edge of your seat for the punch line or the dramatic ending!

Unfortunately, he passed away on Sunday. As many of you know, I just lost my other Uncle Ken a few months ago. This has hit me pretty hard. Not being able to be there and hug on my Aunt Katie, not being able to hold onto and "take care" of my Aunt Sue who just lost my Uncle Ken. I know this will be painful for her. You see, all that nurturing rubbed off on me. That is what I do. That is what all of my family does.

My mom was not a Connor by birth but she was one of the best. She came from a family of nurturing sisters, who now, since she is gone, watch over me. All that love... where does it come from? Jesus. My family has a legacy of loving and being crazy about Jesus. That is why we love so intensely for each other. That is why when we lose one, we are all there to help hold each other together.

You don't have to be born into the Connor family. Many have married their way in but most have been "adopted." When you come to a family gathering as new to the family...you find out pretty quickly that you belong there. Conversations are filled with stories, we even get my dad to play the piano so we can all sing. In our family, gossip has no place, no one is plotting against the other or being manipulative. We just love each other warts and all.

We have been blessed by God to have a family like this. In fact, the family of God looks like this and even better. I now have new brothers and sisters in Christ here in San Diego who help me hold things together when tragedy strikes or rejoices with me when good news is heard.

So if you don't possess a treasure like my earthly family, take heart because the family of God is so awesome and we will never be separated for long.

Uncle Marshall and Uncle Ken were on opposite sides of the political spectrum. I guess you could say this was probably one of the "hot" topics in our family. They agreed to disagree and loved each other just the same. So I guess maybe they are together in heaven debating the November election, or maybe...they already know who won and really don't care. Who would when you are with Lord? One thing is for sure, they both "voted" and gave their lives to be sons of the living God and they made out big time!