"Grandma Nine-Pies"
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Grandmas tend to go a bit overboard around the holidays. My wife's Grandma Dean was a prolific baker, always bringing some of the tastiest desserts to our family gatherings. But you had to be very careful when asking her to bring a dish. One time we assigned her the task of bringing a pumpkin pie to Thanksgiving, so instead of one pie, she brought nine! Of course, from then on, she was jokingly known as Grandma Nine-Pies.
There's almost nothing we wouldn't do for our families — going above and beyond to express our love. So as we continue to consider God's amazing gifts, let's stop to feel the fulfillment of a fruitful family.
The Big Idea
Family bonds can give us love and acceptance that reflects our Heavenly Father's. Our earthly family prepares us to understand the love we have from our Maker. Since, as Paul said when you're "... led by the Spirit of God" you "are sons of God" and"have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, 'Abba! Father!'" (Rom. 8:14-15). What intimacy and depth we experience both at home and with God!
A fruitful family comes as a gift from our Father. He blesses us with richness and fulfillment in our homes, as the psalmist sang, "Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table" (Ps. 128:3). It takes a lot of work and cultivation on our part. Still, when the home works well, it shines a light on God's perfect plan for our well-being.
But our families aren't always perfect — maybe it rarely feels like a "home sweet home" — but don't forget that God's design for the bond we share extends to our "brothers" and "sisters" in the church. As we follow our Lord together, we richly bless each other in unity as if we were blood relatives.
The Big Question
What could you do to bring your family closer in God's love?
