Delighting in Carne Asada

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!  Psalm 133:1

Until my brother went to Iraq and my father was diagnosed with cancer, I don't think I truly realized what a gift I have in my family.  I guess I would liken it to breaking a limb.  You are grateful for all your body parts, but you don't fully come to appreciate them until one becomes incapacitated.  Then you come to the realization of how blessed you are when all the parts are functioning normally.  When the possibility came up that I could lose one of my family members, my mind flashed back to all the family gatherings we had shared together; Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter...  Did I spend the time loving and sharing with my family, or was I concerned about petty things?

Last night we had a BBQ at my brother's house.  There was no particular reason for us to get together, but we were all there.  My husband, children, mother, siblings and their spouses, nieces and nephews.  It was pure bliss, listening the the noise of steady conversation, laughter, children shouting, little feet running back and forth.  Appreciating the qualities that each person contributes to the dynamics of our family.  My brother's humor, my sister's love for children, my mom's constant nurturing, my brother-in-law's servanthood....

I want to teach my children to appreciate family.  Not only to be thankful for one another but to truly know what a blessing it is to be a part of a whole.  Today I need the ablilty to reflect a heart of appreciation in my home that transcends the ordinary.