And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Colossians 3:14

This week’s photo challenge asks us to share a picture that portrays the word, “Family”. Of course, as a mother of nine, I have thousands of pictures I can choose from. But I have decided to look for something different.

The story behind this picture will be forever part of our family’s history. I grew up in a large family. I have seven brothers and sisters. Though not always tension-free, we have remained close over the years. Two years ago, my dad was diagnosed with cancer and within a few short months, he was gone. Those months during my dad’s illness, leading up to his death, the wake, and the funeral contained sacred moments of sacrifice, grace, love, peace, and unity. The word “family” took on a whole new meaning for us as we shared the burden privilege of caring for my dad during his last few months on this earth…the daily phone calls/emails/texts updating each other every day. We shared this task together. Eight strong personalities put aside their personal preferences, offered their gifts and strengths while focusing on the one task together – caring for our dad and also our mom, in peace, in unity, in love. Sacred moments.

When it was time to order flowers for my dad’s casket, one of my sisters decided that she could design one on her own and with the help of my brother, his wife, and my daughter, they produced a casket spray that was more beautiful than the ones we saw in a catalog. That beautiful spray is a symbol of the beautiful gift we have in each other. All our differences, our gifts, our dreams, put together make something even more beautiful than those flowers. That beautiful something is the strong ties of love which we call family.

Dadsflowers

Weekly Photo Challenge: Family