It Takes a Village

We spent last weekend in Georgetown, Texas celebrating the marriage of our son, Mark, to Kristen Seals. Mark was the last of our children to get married. It was the second family wedding in less than a year; Our daughter Katie married John Seal last September. Our oldest Son, Peter, has been married to Amy for almost thirteen years and God has blessed them with three boys. What a blessing to watch the family grow.

For many of our extended family it was the third trip to Texas within the last eighteen months. In addition to the two weddings, we also celebrated Peter and Mark's ordination into the pastoral ministry in January, 2011. It's not surprising, Barb and I both are blessed with families that love and support each other through the time of celebration and grief. It doesn't end there, however. We are surrounded by friends who share in those times as well.

In the case of both recent weddings I was honored to be able to make a toast at the wedding reception. In each case I noted the important roles that each of those present had played in the lives of the bridal couple. It takes a village to raise up a child and God has always blessed us with communities where our family has felt loved and supported. As with many ministry families, we have moved often. Over the years our children have been part of five very different faith communities. The one consistent element has been the presence of caring adults who not only related to our children, but modeled faith and discipleship.

In a time when there is so much emphasis on mega-churches that are able to offer the biggest and best in facilities and program, parents need to be mindful that it is still the people who will have the greatest impact on our children. Encourage and cultivate that support system. They are the people who will guide you and your kids through the difficult times in life.