Today, my big brother turned 70. I didn't grow up with him, he came in the package with the Love-of-My-Life and the last name Smith. Happy Birthday, Monte Carl Willis Smith! We are happy to celebrate you, today. We are grateful for God's hand on you with every health struggle. This is the Smith family photo from Chase and Emma's wedding. Most the the people in this photo were born Smiths. A few of us chose to be in relationship with this goofy clan.
Monte and Jan have been more like grand-parents to the boys than Uncle and Aunt. Every time we are together we laugh, play and make some memories. The more the merrier! The more of the extended family added in, the better it gets. My kids have fabulous aunts and uncles on both sides of the family. We don't think about who is the actual relative. In-love trumps in-law every time. Love is bigger than blood.
When we officially add Walker's sweetie,Abigail, to the family, we will add another "in-love" to the mix. We look forward to the day. On the same note, I am grateful that my sons are experiencing more in-love than in-law with their bride's families. The law is the law, but love is a beautiful choice.
This passage is the Book of Ruth reminds us of what it means to marry into another family:
"But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God."-Ruth 1:16
Now... that is commitment. This passage was conversation between a daughter-in-law and a mother-in-law. Both were widowed. Both were hurting. Love persisted. Love won.
Love always wins.
Today, I am grateful for living in-love not in-law.
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