Family Day

March 24, 2010    Category: Message   

On February 15 we celebrated Family Day. This day was first held in Canada in the province of Alberta in 1990. This day is meant to reflect the values of family and home that were important to the pioneers who founded Alberta. It is also meant to give workers the opportunity to spend more time with their families. Family Day was introduced in Saskatchewan in 2007 and in Ontario in 2008. Various holidays celebrating families are also held in other places around the globe. In the Australian Capital Territory, the first Tuesday of November is known as Family and Community Day. In South Africa, the day after Easter Sunday is Family Day.

While for many people it is just an opportunity to have a day off, others view it as a time to celebrate family and spend time together. Family is important and those of us who have grown children will especially tell you to enjoy each passing moment as before you know it your children will be grown and soon gone. I remember this advice being handed down to me when my children were younger; I wish I would have listened more closely and followed this cherished advice. Each day that passes can never again be regained so enjoy the moment to its fullest.

Family is important to God. He established it in the garden. It was not good for Adam, the first man, to be alone and God intended for the two of them were to procreate and inhabit the earth.

Just recently we spent the day in Kingston with Kim and her family. Being so busy on the weekends when the children are off school we never seem to have much time with them. Watching my husband hitting a baseball (who knew he could!) in the backyard was as much for me as it was for the children.

On our way to Kingston we passed a military parade bringing home a fallen soldier. Our hearts go out to that soldier?s for family as they will never forget that day for the rest of their lives.

Many people were on the overpasses waving Canadian flags and showing their respect and support. I pray that it gave strength to the family knowing that others, even strangers, cared.

I also reflected on those who come to The Sharing Place who have lost touch with family or have no
family left like Don and many others. Betty, another client at The Sharing Place, has family but they are embarrassed by her mental illness so they do not often contact her.

I pray that in some small way they will know how much we love them and that there are people they have never met who also care about them.

Family should be a place of refuge one where we feel safe. It should be a place where we can find forgiveness and love. Romans 3:23 stresses the importance of forgiveness by stating that “we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. When we sin, we not only sin against God, we sin against others. God always forgives us but often we do not forgive others and in many cases we do not forgive ourselves. Forgiveness is so wonderful and so freeing. When we have been forgiven, the guilt and shame is gone and then we can forgive others. This amazing reality should not be celebrated
only one Monday of the year but each and every day we should rejoice with our physical family and our spiritual family “I?m so glad I?m a part of the family of God I?ve been washed in the fountain cleansed by His blood”. Isn?t that wonderful to know that even if everyone else forsakes you God?s word says “I will never leave you”! That sure is an encouraging way to start every day and
to know that His love is unshakable. Have a blessed month!

The Sharing Place News
CARING, SHARING, LOVING ALL THROUGH CHRIST
Family Day
February