Faith and Family

Family Reunions

BY DONNA WHARTENBY

The Huge, intimate, expensive, or low-budget— family reunions can be as diverse as the individuals in attendance. Spontaneous or action-packed, there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all family event. But one thing they all should have in common is the joyinfused memories produced.

The matriarch side of our family plans a reunion every five years. In that timeframe, kids graduate, get married, have babies, and grow our family at an alarming rate! Most years, we have four generations present, so of course, it includes many opportunities for photo ops and portrait poses after granny-andtoddler-naps. Multi-generational olden-days and when-I-was-a-young-girl stories are shared with amazement and wonder for the little ears to hear. Sibling rivalry always shows up to recruit others in affirming the real details of the past, filling the air with laughter. Reminiscent times and memories of past generations become the blessings and beginnings of legacies.

Those in attendance span interests from outdoorsy nature lovers, marathon runners, and sports enthusiasts to quilters and couch potatoes. Schedules, new jobs, relocations, life’s challenges, and the miles between us, at times, prevent some members from attending. Other years, a distant aunt and uncle or second cousin who no one rarely hears from surprisingly shows up and becomes the life of the party and the children’s coolest relatives. During this year’s reunion, our family was blessed to celebrate the eldest matriarch’s 97th birthday. She recognized all 70+ faces!

GOD DESIGNED FAMILIES TO SHOW LOVE, PROVIDE SECURITY, AND BE TRUSTING AS A GIFT AND BLESSING.

Since our family’s reunions have grown to the size of a baseball league, we now gather in destinations near family members who, in turn, become the reunion hosts. Surveys supply family activity interests, location preferences, and available dates for the gathering. A family Facebook page announces preferences and ideas, identifies nearby hotel locations, and keeps us connected as plans materialize.

Organizing meals for a group of 60 to 80 people is certainly a challenge. This year a food truck fed the masses with brevity so the kids could get back to their games. This dining experience boasted choices for distinguished pallets such as walkabout tacos, burgers, hot dogs, and cheesy nachos. A table area the size of a sports field provided a resting spot to enjoy conversations together as the kids ran off their sugar rushes from sodas and ice cream.

God, our heavenly Father, established families from the very beginning. Marriage and family are at the center of His design as He directed Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply in Genesis 1:28 (NLT). Psalm 127:3 says God gives children as a gift, and in Isaiah 44:3, He promises blessings for our children. Abraham became the Father of all nations, and Jacob’s family became the nation of Israel (Genesis 29-30). In Ephesians 6, Paul teaches about family relationships, the foundation of human society. God designed families to show love, provide security, and be trusting as a gift and blessing from God. His plan also teaches us grace, forgiveness, kindness, obedience, sorrow, joy, and so much more.

The next time you attend a family gathering, don’t miss God’s blessings, His joy, and His love for His family and yours.

REMINISCENT TIMES AND MEMORIES OF PAST GENERATIONS BECOME THE BLESSINGS AND BEGINNINGS OF LEGACIES.

Donna grew up in a Christian home and attended church weekly with her family. She and her husband, Keith, have been married for 39 years and have a son. Donna loves singing, traveling, and spending vacations and holidays with her three grandchildren. She is passionate about teaching and facilitates small group Bible studies. Family is important to her, which is why Donna is delighted to write this Faith and Family column for Voice of Truth magazine.