Family to the Lonely

I woke up to the best gift this morning. My house with people in it.  Little people to be exact. My sweet niece and nephew, 12 & 8 years old. I tiptoed out of my room and let the cat in and peeked in on them sleeping in the other bedroom.  Of course they were laying there, faces pressed into the bed or arms flung wide over the other, but so peaceful and precious. I treasure these moments so much, for they are getting more and more rare with the busyness of softball games and activities the older they get.

It is not quiet for long, for soon they have to get up to get ready for the day together. I sing and sick the cat on them to help them open their eyes.  My Grandfather used to sing special songs to my brother and cousins and me, in the morning when we were little at my grandparent's house.  And I relish being able to do the same and share a tradition to the next generation.

Doesn't take but a minute for my house to be bursting with energy of two crazy, silly, and hungry kids calling to me about when breakfast will be ready and do they really have to get dressed for church. :) But through the bustle of the morning messes, drama, and occasional whines, my heart is full of joy at the sounds of family in my house.

I do love times like this, but even when my family is not around and my house is empty, God still provides.  There are people at church that have invited me over and let me come and hang out with them when I needed it most, and they didn't even know it. I have had friends come out of the woodwork and invite me to dinner almost every night of the week during a really bad time with this family feud.  God was and is always there setting me in family one way or another.

There is a verse that came to me one afternoon, after a wonderful walk with a family at church.  It is in psalms.

• Psalms 68:5-6: "A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.
   God sets the lonely in families....."

As a single, sometimes family is hard to find or limited.  Maybe you didn't know your dad, or mom, or maybe they were not healthy people or not safe. Maybe you have a family but they live far away, or they are just busy with their own lives that it seems there isn't much left for family time anymore.

God promises that He sees our loneliness and hurting hearts and He can and will help us find family.  Maybe not in the most traditional sense of the word, but He will.  And He also says He is our father and our defender.  And when He says father He means the best kind of father that you can think of and more, not maybe the kind of father or fathers you know. He provides and carries us Always.

So my heart totally praises God for the little moments of joy like today with my real family.  But I am also reminded of the beautiful gifts of family He gives in so many other ways that I really never acknowledged or recognized before.

How has God set you in a family sometimes in your loneliness?  How can you let Him in to truly be your loving Father that always is with you and will carry you?  Betcha He will if you ask :)