4:35 p.m. Today's project was to welcome Steve's sisters Linda and Sharon (pictured), his late brother Larry's wife Michaele, his cousin Stephanie, and Linda's husband Mike over for an afternoon visit.
It was really quite a surprise when Sharon called yesterday to see if we'd be home Sunday afternoon. I was very happy to get the news that they wanted to come over, because a series of difficult events kept us from enjoying the traditional Kruckenberg Christmas Eve celebration. We had lost Larry on December 14; and other family members wanted to gather in a smaller group. So it ended up that our children, their spouses, Heidi's fiance and my dad joined us for rollicking Christmas Eve and Christmas celebrations.
Yet we still felt regret over not seeing Steve's side of the family. When older sister Sharon called a few days after Christmas and pitched out the idea that maybe we could begin getting together in January, or even every few months, I thought, "Since my own family is already 12 people if you count my dad, Christmas will be a full house from now on anyway, even with no one else in attendance!" So I let her know that we'd be willing to give that a try. Philippians 4:5 says, "Let your moderation be known to all men" (KJV). and the NLT phrases it, "Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do." "Moderation" is translated as "considerateness, a forbearing spirit" (Amplified version).
I confess that I crave huge family gatherings after Christmas Eve service. There's lots of noise and commotion, everybody's specialty cookies and candies, crockpots full of chili and corn chowder, singing "Stille Nacht" (Silent Night), reading the Christmas story and fellowshipping, young and old, in honor of Jesus. A lively game of White Elephant rounds out the evening before gifts to grandchildren and grandparents are opened.
But with our kids now having their own families, and juggling visits to parents and in-laws, it's getting complicated--delightfully complicated, but complicated nonetheless. I wouldn't trade my kids' spouses for anything, and I love their parents too. Steve's sisters feel the same way. So maybe the tradition is just too difficult to keep up in 2011.
God told the Israelites of Isaiah's day, in 43:19,
Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
And God is doing a new work in Steve's family now, too. As believers, we all need to heed the preceding verse:
Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.
And that's what we'll do. Respect the work God did in the past, and move with Him into the fresh and exciting future!
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