The Little Things Count

So, the last couple of times I have spoken with family, we have finished the conversation saying, "see you in Ireland," or "see you in a couple of months." You see, my husband's family will be traveling to Ireland in a few weeks, and we are accompanying them on this potentially invigorating yet relaxing vacation, and after just seeing my family, I am not sure when I will be able to make the trip to Philadelphia again.



But is that what it has really come down to? "See you in Ireland?"

I long for the days when family was all together in one place...When I knew exactly what was going on in their lives...When I was there when they got their license, when they got ready for the prom, and when they needed comforting. Coming from a large family, and marrying into another large family, it is hard to keep on top of what everyone is doing. (Thank goodness for blogs though!!!)





It was easier then. If you had a problem with something one of your siblings did you could tell them face to face. Now you hear it second hand. And you wait as long as you can to tell them how you feel in person, and then you end up not being able to keep it in, and blow up at them over the phone (never a good thing!!). Or you aren't there to share in the joys and the laughter.





It is harder now to disagree with something my parents or sisters are doing. It is easy for them to reply, "You don't know, you aren't around."

I find that now I pray more and deeper for my sisters/brother and sisters/brothers-in-law. I pray for things that may or may not be happening, thinking God will create some sort of soft barrier around them, protecting them from harm and temptation.






And although it is hard, I am trying to tell myself not to worry, but it is hard to buy into the phrase, "what you don't know can't hurt you."

And since time with family is becoming more and more limited, I am praying that God uses the time that we do have for his glory, that our relationships will be strengthened, that we will learn to love and tolerate eachother more, and that we will respect eachother as we change and grow.

I am often reminded of Mother Theresa's words (since my old boss used to say it at least twice a week), "God does not call us to do great things, he calls us to do little things with great faith." And so, we do these little things, we pray the small prayers, and we initiate the tiny conversations, believing that they will sprout into something bigger, something beyond our control, and relationships will be healed and strengthened...Despite distance and age.

(p.s. Pictures don't necessarily correspond with thoughts above or below them, and I apologize in advance to those family members who do not appear above.)