THANKFUL THURSDAY...family reunions!

Don't you just love family reunions?
 I can remember when I was growing up, having family reunions on my step-dad's side of the family. If I recall correctly, it always fell on the fourth of July because I can remember as a child always going in the front yard of my Grandmother or my aunt's house (depending on where it was held) and shooting off fireworks and lighting sparklers.

Some other memories that I have of those family reunions is going into the garage where the food and coolers of drinks were. I always had my share of Orange Crush, you know the old fashion kind that came in a bottle. I think as a child, I must have overdosed on those as I cannot stomach one now, way too sweet!

But one of the lasting memories that I will always have of those family times, is just getting to see folks that we only saw one time of the year. Aunts and Uncles and Cousins that lived not too far away but far enough that we did not visit on a regular basis. It was always good as a child to sit around and listen to the old stories that the adults shared year after year. The jokes they told. The laughter. The love. The closeness. It could all be felt during those family reunions. And then when it was time to say good-bye, the tears.

Until the next family reunion.

 And then we got to do it all over again. The fireworks, the orange crush drinks, the laughter, the joy, the tears.

As I got older, and became a teenager, I guess I got too busy because I vaguely remember the reunions after that. Or it could be that my grandparents died and everyone went their separate ways and did not make it priority after that. I don't know what really happened, but what I do know is that I have always remembered those family reunions.

Now I have my own family and as they have grown up, our family size has also grown. Instead of 3 sons, we now have 3 sons and 3 bonus daughters. Our daugher is still a teen, but it won't be long and she will get married and we will welcome yet another family member in. And when all of them begin to have their own families (we are expecting a grandchild in October) then our family will really begin to grow. As they find themselves settling in areas that are not near us, I see more and more the importance of having family reunions. A time for everyone to come together at the same time to share, maybe not with fireworks or orange crush drinks, but certainly to share in love, laughter and yes, maybe even some tears.

This reminds me of what it will be like one day when we are reunited with our loved ones in Heaven. Those that have gone on before us, what a glorious day that will be when we are reunited with them. What a family reunion it will be when parents are reunited with children, and husbands reunited with wives and friends reunited with friends. It is going to be a time of celebration. It will not be a time of tears, for there will be no good-byes. It will be a reunion of love and peace. And probably there will be an unlimited supply of orange crush.

"I say to you, that many shall come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." - Matthew 8:11

Today on THANKFUL THURSDAY, I am so thankful for the family reunions from my past and most definetly the family reunion that is yet to take place in heaven!