A Letter to My Children

Dear Tribe,

As your mom, I spend much time praying for each of you and for us as a family.  I know it’s not always easy being in a large tribe.  We are loud, a little messy, and very opinionated. There is nothing sacred or secret in this tribe and God help the one who uses the last bit of coffee creamer or toilet paper. We tend to yell sometimes, but we play hard and love even harder. I know there must be times that you secretly wish you were an only child.  I truly believe that God hand-knit this crazy tribe together…each one of you with special talents and gifts from Him.  But you guys are so much better together!

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.”

God gave you your #siblings for times of adversity.  This world is CRAZY.  God’s provision in your life is each other.  Let me explain…

Remember the story of Joseph?  You know, the one where his loving #brothers sell him! (don’t get any ideas!) But sometimes the real blessings in life don’t come from the good, but rather the times of struggle.  Joseph goes onto become the source of provision for his brothers when he saves them from starvation…but first, he had to learn forgiveness.

How about Miriam, you know, Moses’ big sister?  She watched over her baby brother and saved his life.  And let’s not forget Mary and Martha…Lazareth’s two #sisters who sent for Jesus to come help him out.  What about Aaron, the brother of Moses?  He held up the arms of Moses so his brother could win the battle.  Yeah, siblings are there for a time of adversity.

Being a part of this tribe is GREAT training ground for life. Siblings teach us many life lessons:

1. You learn teamwork.

You learn quickly that you are not the center of the world.  There is no force more powerful than working towards a common goal. (this is why we practice the buddy system)

2. You learn to forgive and forget.

It’s hard to hold onto grudges when you share a bathroom…sometimes a bed…and now you need to borrow that shirt. Yeah, you quickly learn that no one in our tribe is perfect. We all make mistakes. It’s only with God’s amazing grace that we continue to love…despite the battles, the sometimes harsh words, and the struggles. Loves always forgives!

3. You learn patience in our large tribe.

Being in such a large family, you must learn to wait your turn, serve others, and shut your mouth to survive.

There are so many benefits to having siblings.

You will always have a best friend, a secret keeper, someone you don’t have to be embarrassed around, someone you can always call…when you are mad, discouraged, happy, or even when you have messed up.  And let’s not forget that you have built-in fashion consultants.  I mean, who else will be brutally honest about those ugly shoes and all your fashion faux pas.  Who else can you “borrow” that cute sweater from, lay on the floor and paint nails together, and sit in a deer stand as the sun rises while shivering from the cold?  God has given you built-in best friends.

As we are about to embark on another year it is our prayer that our family grows closer together.  That we will continue to share the laughs, along with the struggles together…knowing that God has a plan for our family.

I hope that you will continue to love each other, #encourage each other, and pray for one another.  Be an Aaron in the life of your siblings and hold them up in prayer during life’s battles. Run to Jesus for help when your brother or sister is struggling and you are unsure of what to do.  Prayer can move mountains! And always watch out for each other, like Miriam watched over her little baby brother Moses. Sacrifice and serve one another. Defend our family and each other. Forgive quickly and completely. Hope for the best for each other.

And never quit believing that God has a plan for this family.

I am so proud to be the mother of this great tribe.  I will always love you.

Love,

Mom

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