Blood is Thicker

Mary’s Monday Musings to Quilt Encouragement

Blood is Thicker

            What a joy it is to visit our widely scattered grown children and their families. We recently had the pleasure of visiting our Texas branch. I was delighted to sit and feast my eyes on each one doing the normal routines of their days. Our cup overflowed from their love and hugs.

 

You’ve heard the expression blood is thicker than water. It’s usually used to make the point family is more reliable than people who are not relatives. But we can have the best of both worlds–friends and family.

 

Gracious people in both categories can meet our needs in times of trouble. Family has an advantage however. With our immediate family, our history together goes back to our birth. We have vast areas in common including both genetic and experiences. Sometimes we have long established patterns of  reasoning and reactions in common. Shared experiences from hearing stories of the generations before us create a bond. But the frequent togetherness of family can lead to friction. We need to practice the same courtesies we use with friends. Withholding judgment and criticism benefits any relationship. Biting our tongue instead of speaking without thinking about consequences helps a lot. Nourishing relationships instead of taking people for granted is as important with family as it is with friends.

Sometimes we don’t share the unifying bond of Jesus with all our family members. We choose friends. God chooses our family. Regardless of how we view God’s choices, He wants us to pray for family even the most distant or sometimes aggravating. After we pray we are better able to experience the blessing of blood ties. We thank God for every opportunity to be with family. Thankfulness for family benefits family bonds.