Saturday, July 4, 2009

A Generous Family

If you have read any of the stories on this blog site, you probably know that I have two daughters, a step daughter, three grandchildren, five step grandchildren, a sister who lives nearby (and one that lives a few hours away), and my mother. I have other relatives of course, but they are distant and I don't see them much. But...I also have a great BIG family in Christ!

I do remember a time when our church was going through several transitions and Vinnie and I, like many others, considered if God had a plan for us to worship in another church. Mind you, the thought took less than a minute to decide but still, we did give it a thought. One of Vinnie's responses at the time was something like, "If something ever happened to me, I know there'd be a lot of people in our church family that would take care of you." He was right! The love of family in our church gave him great comfort then, and now they comfort me.

Let me tell you what an awesome church family I have. Most of them are people young enough to be my own children, and many of them whom I wouldn't have even known if it weren't for the news of my losses last year. There are a number of young mothers who invited me to join their freezer swap group when they heard that I was eating weird 'meals' because I found it difficult to cook for myself. There's a young man who comes to cut my lawn every single week. Another has come and done free electrical work for me. Others have helped me move things from storage to my new house in the process of sorting and eliminating things I no longer need to keep. One has been cutting the grass at my old house while it was on the market (he is buying the house now! Yeah!). He has also offered to install wood flooring that Vinnie bought for me over a year ago, into my new house. One is coming to chop up large brush that takes over the perimeter of my yard, and one large Bible study group in the church is coming over to do at least a dozen home improvement projects around my house next week!

Why are so many willing to all this for me? It's not that I deserve any of it! It's not like I am a great person that people flock to. It's more than that. First, it comes from a desire to help those who are needy and many know that my life this year has required many, many changes and adjustments (emotionally needy). Second, I believe it is a return for the many generous acts of kindness Vinnie bestowed on many people in our church and community while he was alive. Third, there are men in the church that can assume that there would be things I'd need to have done in my home now that I that I don't have any men in my life to help me. And fourth, it comes from passages in Scripture about God's people taking care of widows.

With all the things I've written about on this blog site, it must be said that I don't even know where I'd be without this great big, HUGE family that God has placed me in the middle of. I am humbled and though it's not being special in any way that makes them do these things for me, I feel pretty special all the same. I may have many things to still adjust to in this new season of life, but I don't think I'd have made it this far, and this well, without any one of these loving Believing family members! I love them to pieces!

4 comments:

coolingstar9 said...

I am very happy to know that you have overcome the difficulties especially your love one lost.
There are so many people willing to help you is because of their unselfless love.
This is that big family help each others and bring hope to people. They are all the ambassor of god, showing good example that " God love mankind ". Through their hands.
I sincerely hope you happy, good health forever. Remember that you also can enjoy your family bliss as you have so many daughters, etc.
Have the nice day,my friend.

Gail said...

Thank you for your kind words. Truth is that I still miss my Vinnie. I've learned though, how to live with the grief and still live life abundantly, zealously, and with passion, with sadness right along side it. There's no other way to put it and there's probably not a day goes by that I don't cry for my sweet Vinnie. But when I do I am reminded that I loved him very much and always will. Love now give new meaning to the tears. As we said to him when we neared the end of his journey here, we WILL see him "later" and we look forward to that. Now he lives and so must I.

Betharoo said...

Hello!

Just wanted to say I stopped by your blog for the first time tonight. Thanks for sharing you heart so openly. I'll have to go back and read the beg. I know what you mean about the BIG family. I am so thankful myself for all the bros/sis I know thru my church family. See ya later! I like your profile pic of you w/the hubby.

Gail said...

Hey, Betharoo...where are ya'll going to church these days?

Thanks for visiting the blog. Hope you do start from the beginning...it's quite a story.

Lovin' your quilting blog...who knows? If I ever finish decorating and school, and stuff, you might inspire me to quilt! (NOT!) (My dream is to return to oil painting and music) But yours are gorgeous!