Greetings Cascade Family and Friends,
Recently, I was speaking with a very close family member about a situation that still concerns me. I was taken aback at how quickly and easily it seemed that he had decided to just "be done" with another very close family member because of something the two of them discussed. As I continued to talk with him, my heart sank. I started to remember and long for all of the people whom I cherished that I can no longer reach out to because they are in Heaven. Hearing enough hopelessness, I lovingly and gently began to refocus this family member's perspective by simply asking him, "Is that really worth you 'being done' with someone who is so very important to you?" He quickly agreed that it was not.
Through God's grace, I was able to get him back to the place where he felt it necessary and a good idea to reach out and make things right again. Praise God!
When I left that conversation, I began to think to myself, "How many more family relationships are broken, but with just a turn of one's viewpoint, can be mended again?" I simply want to ask you who are reading this to examine your "special" relationships. Ask yourself if the true value of any meaningful bond is reflected in its current condition. If you find that you have allowed something minor to cause you to neglect someone important to you, now is as good a time as any to fix it. Do it before it's too late. We all know that quality, adult relationships are always a moving target, and sometimes require give and take from both parties. But, the foundation doesn't change. What is more, the core value is well worth the effort!
Family and Friends, let's treasure and continually build our relationships. Let us commit to Wesley's ideology: "Do all the good you can...in all the ways you can...at all the times you can...to all the people you can, as long as ever you can." Relationships are God's gift to us! Let's be sure to act like it.
