Life is certainly interesting to say the least and the timing of some of the hardest events in life can leave one’s head spinning.
I came face to face with that reality in recent days.
It is seldom that Gale and I purchase vehicles so when we admit that it is time to take that step it really is time.  That time came back in January so we bit the bullet and made the move.
It had been almost ten years since our last car purchase and it has been unbelievably nice not having a car payment for the past several years.  Reluctantly, we made the deal, then, to our surprise, after we mailed our first payment the company I work for closed!
Thankfully that was not our only source of income, but it was a big chunk of it.  Nevertheless, I am confident it will all work out just fine and I am sure that God is absolutely in control.
There are some positions that we have in life that are merely means of financial survival—I have worked at a few of those in my lifetime.
But there are others that are much more than a vocation—they occupy a place and purpose in the heart.  Our little hospice group and those that we strived to reach out to during their end of life needs occupied that special place in my heart.
It was both a joy and an honor to serve in that special way, and a privilege to be part of that unique family.
Being together under the circumstances that we faced each day allowed all of our team members to get a glimpse of both the best and the worst side of each other, while continuing to respect one another and maintaining our determination to never cease to pull together for the common good of all involved.
As I reflect on our time together in that little hospice office and consider what went into enabling us to do what we did–at times under tremendous pressure physically, emotionally and spiritually—I recognize a number of aspects that are essential to the health of any family, physical families as well as spiritual families. One thing that comes to mind is the absolute necessity of valuing what each one contributes; some fulfill a more obvious role than others which can make that person appear to be more valuable than others, but in reality everyone is crucial.
We must never forget that no single individual is a one man show if harmony and purpose are to prevail.
Then there is the need to overlook each other’s flaws.
None of us is perfect, but every one of us is uniquely designed by God; what might appear at the moment to be a flaw could very well be a beautiful asset in disguise.
And we must never fail to be willing to forgive each other—and to forgive ourselves. Grudges, bitterness, self condemnation, and refusal to forgive are ugly tools of Satan that only serve to divide and destroy, but genuine forgiveness restores harmony and health.
A harmonious and productive family is something we can be proud to be a part of.
We can nurture family health by applying the simply yet powerful guidance of Colossians 3:15:  “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.  And be thankful.”