Psalm 127:3-5Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,
the fruit of the womb a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the children of one’s youth.
Blessed is the man
who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.
We were blessed to celebrate our Independence Day holiday with the greater Olson family, first celebrating and remembering the life of Nic's grandmother at her funeral where all the Olson great grandchildren sang, and later in the weekend at the Olson farm for our annual Camp O-for-Fun. This year's theme was Camp Yee-Haw and was all about horses. The event morphed into a larger family reunion style event, but so much fun was had by all. We finished out the week with a few days of Twin Cities stay-cation and enjoyed the Children's Museum and a local county park/beach with the cousins.
I have to admit that this is a whole lot more fun and excitement (!!!) than we normally pack into a week and we tried to maximize each day's quiet time potential while we enjoyed the opportunity to see everyone. For our children, even those who have trouble with sensory overload, busy schedules or lack of regular routine, I considered this opportunity to spend time with extended family a blessing and a learning opportunity. It is so good for our children to see how brother/sisters relate to one another as adults and our children were able to witness this on many levels. They saw great-aunts and uncles supporting one another through the loss of their mother, extended family rallying around a grieving family by sharing meals and hugs, a larger family celebrating the eternal life of a loved one through shared memories and laughter, their dad working alongside his brothers to complete projects at home/away and serve their children. There were many opportunities in this large group family setting to model love, grace, and forgiveness as often happens when families gather and little children get tired and are out of their normal routine.
For my heart it was a blessing to see our children embracing and being embraced by their cousins, completely loved and accepted. It was an opportunity to rejoice in the blessing of children in our larger family and see the goodness of God as He brings children to each family as He purposes.
All the Olson Cousins: you might be able to pick out our Colombian Brewed
1 comment:
God is good, indeed! I am so moved by your words and by the life that you and Nic live as you parent your children and follow God's call for your life. I am praying so much for you and am amazed, always, by the providence that we are given and the love that we are shown when our hearts are open and we are willing to serve. I have been reading your blog regularly for a long time now (maybe almost a year?!?), and while I have only commented a few times, you and your family have truly been in my thoughts so often. You and the life you lead with your children are an inspiration to me as Chris and I go through struggles and triumphs with our girls, and as we seek the best path for our family. Thank you for all that you do, and for your witness. It has made a real difference to me.
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