THE SACREDNESS OF FAMILIES

I MENTIONED THAT WE HAD JUST RETURNED FROM SOME TIME AWAY FROM THE 115 DEGREE HEAT OF THE DESERT, NOW I WOULD LIKE TO EXPLAIN WHY.
THIS WAS MY WIFE'S PARENTS FAMILY REUNION. WE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR MANY MANY YEARS, THE PAST 9 AT THE SAME MOUNTAIN LOCATION.
MY WIFE'S MOTHER PAST AWAY A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, BUT HER FATHER WAS THERE AS THE PATRIARCH, STILL GOING STRONG AND HEALTHY OF MIND, BODY AND SOUL.
THE NUMBERS WERE DOWN A BIT THIS YEAR DUE TO VARIOUS REASONS BUT STILL SOME 75 DAUGHTERS, SONS, IN LAWS, GRANDCHILDREN, AND GREAT GRANDCHILDREN JOINED FOR FOUR DAYS OF EATING, EXPLORING, EATING,
VISITING, SWIMMING, EATING, PLAYING GAMES, EATING AND SHARING WITH EACH OTHER THE PAST YEAR AND MANY YEARS GONE BY.
FROM THE PATRIARCH APPROACHING 90 YEARS TO A FEW WEEKS OLD GRAND CHILD ALL FELT LOVE AND COMPANIONSHIP THAT ONLY FAMILY CAN BRING.THE PATRIARCH SERVED ON THE FRONT LINES IN WWII AGAINST NAZI GERMANY TWO YOUNG MEN AT THE REUNION ARE CURRENTLY SERVING IN OUR ARMED FORCES, ONE IN THE AIR FORCE THE OTHER JUST WAS HOME FOR A FEW WEEKS FROM AFGHANISTAN.
IT IS DIFFICULT TO EXPRESS THE TRUE FEELINGS OF LOVE, FRIENDSHIP AND SAFETY FELT, BEING SURROUNDED BY FAMILY.
THERE IS A TRUE SENSE OF HOLINESS IN THE EXPERIENCE OF THE GOD PLANNED AND GIVEN FAMILY.
FROM THE OLDEST, TO THE NEWEST, TO THE MARRIED, THOSE NOT YET MARRIED,
TO THE COUSINS, SECOND COUSINS AND PERHAPS THIRD COUSINS, BROTHERS AND SISTERS FAMILIES ARE WHY WE ARE HERE AND THE GREATEST OF EARTHLY EXPERIENCES.