FAMILY...

The "DECK" is already STACKED.
You REALLY don't get to CHOOSE.
Your MOM "bore" you all,
And, you spend your LIFE,
TRYING to "co-exist" with each other.

Sometimes...

With FAMILY...
(Mine Included!)

Although you had NO choice in...
WHO they are...
How many of you there would be.

You are STILL...
Brothers...Sisters...

Sharing...

A Room, A Home...

Parents.

There IS some CHOICE in this equation...

That choice is...LOVE.

And, I CHOOSE to LOVE my Family...

The BEST I know how!

If your Family is ANYTHING like mine...

At Times...
(Believe Me!)

That poses a CHALLENGE!

But, to HONOR my Mother's Memory,

So, her SACRIFICES for US,

Weren't in VAIN.

Because we ATE together...
PLAYED together...
FOUGHT together, and each other.

Had our own "BACKYARD" Softball Team...
We went Rollerskating at the "Y".
Played, "Match Game" in OUR Living Room...
"Hey Elaine! I like your legs! wink...wink!"
(Private Banks Family joke...Can't BEGIN to make you understand!)

Pulled our sleds up the "Big Hill"...
Played Hopscotch...
Poison Box.

And, from CHILDREN...

Became ADULTS together.

Women and Men.
Mothers and Fathers.
Wives and Husbands.

STILL...

Remaining FAMILY.

Through the HIGHS...
And, the LOWS...

Our Individual TRIUMPHS...

The LOSS...

Of our MOTHER...

The "arms" that HELD us ALL.

Because when I Really NEEDED you...

When I thought Breast Cancer would TAKE my LIFE.

YOU...

Were There.

You...

LOVED ME...

LISTENED to me...

HELD me when I heard the words...BREAST...CANCER.

PRAYED over the BLOOD they gave me.

And, were at EVERY Doctor's Appointment,

ER Visit.

Surgery...After...Surgery...

Tear...For...Tear...

My FAMILY...

Has been by my SIDE!

So, I will CONTINUE...

To "choose" to LOVE you ALL...

As long as God Allows.

Until Next Time...

"Love BEARS all things...Love BELIEVES all things...
Love HOPES all things...Love ENDURES all things.
Love NEVER fails..."
1 Corinthians 13:7-8