I grew up in a small farm town in Alabama, not even a mile from at least 3 sets of relatives. I spent time at my grandparents every week. And we had a "Waltons" style get-together to celebrate family birthdays and holidays. Christmas was HUGE, I mean, not tons of presents, but tons of people, food, and fun. When I think back, I am actually amazed at the folks that my Papa and Granny packed into a modest size home. My grandmother always opened the door to greet you with a smile, ready to feed you and make you feel welcome. I remember my parents, aunts and uncles playing games and laughing for hours. I don't have a SINGLE memory of watching TV ......not because I don't remember, but because we just didn't watch it. WE PLAYED.......what a concept!
Last but not least, it would be time to sing. I don't know if it's an old fashioned tradition, or if it just comes from a family of music lovers.........but old church hymnals would be passed around, someone would sit at the piano and another person would call out the number of their request. We usually started with Christmas songs, but ended up with good 'old hymns of any kind. Everyone sang along and all harmony parts were represented.
I don't think I really understood the value of family and my upbringing until I married a Navy man and moved from home.
I remember being shocked at the people we met that didn't go to church, not regularly, not ever.
"I will never fit into this life", I thought, and I begin to get homesick.
I was 19 working at a grocery store.......
too scared to "run home" and with a car that wouldn't make it even if I got up the courage.
too scared to "run home" and with a car that wouldn't make it even if I got up the courage.
At some point, an older, wiser military wife took me under her wing.
She told me, "Mike is your family now, those other people are just relatives."
I was actually offended by her comment, and deeply hurt.......she doesn't know me, my family, they will ALWAYS be my family!
Genesis 1:24 "for this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife"
She wasn't right, was she?
Was God telling me to stick it out?
Was God telling me to stick it out?
What I knew in my heart was that my family was close. We had always been there for each other. Things weren't perfect........ but we loved each other, before, during and after the hardships that had come our way. Hadn't the good outweighed the bad? What had I learned from my small town life that could possibly help me here in this mess?
I realized that having a great family is a wonderful blessing from God. But what got my family through hard times was not just leaning on each other. It was a faith in THE ONE that is strong when we are weak. It was a trust in THE ONE that will never let you down. It was standing on God's promises, when nothing else seemed clear.
I am thankful for my family this Christmas. My husband, my children and my extended family (relatives?) I am thankful for the lessons learned, (even the ones learned the hard way) and I am most thankful to a God that has held me in the palm of his hand every Christmas of my life.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
(Garrison family photos - Thanksgiving 2007, Cullman Alabama)
l-r Zion Thornton and Caleb Garrison (my "little" brother) playing football
Derrick Garrison (my other "little" brother) with Isaac Thornton on the 4-wheeler
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