This weekend was my annual family reunion, an event I look forward to each year.
For those of you who don't know, it's a weekend full of catching up with the family, eating a lot of really good food and just having an all-around good time. Each year, I am always struck by a couple of things. One is that I am truly fortunate and blessed to be a member of this family and then by how much the younger generation has grown in the last year.
And it only shows signs of continued growth in years to come as we had four babies added to the family this year.
It's wonderful to see all the new life coming into the family.
Of course, that means that in future years there will be more people to compete with for the fried corn, but that's OK. I am still bigger than they are--for now.
One thing that always surprises me about catching up with family or friends you don't see on a regular basis is that feeling that everyone should freeze in time from the point you've last seen them until now. I was struck by this at my reunion seeing the growth of the younger kids and seeing the excitement of some of my cousins at the prospect of beginning their journey through UT as well as getting to see BrainyBoy and Tink when I stopped in for a visit at my old church Sunday morning. I saw BB at Christmas but he's hit a growth spurt and really looks like a teenager now. I blame the growth spurt plus his getting braces since I've last seen him.
And yet there was another part of me that was struck my life changes and how I wish time could freeze on the other side of life. My old church has experienced a lot of the older members passing away in the last year and a half and I have to admit it was bittersweet to not see them in worship yesterday. Adding to that was a sermon from the second book of Timothy, talking about how it's time for the mantle to pass to us and what is the calling we're hearing.
But it was still good to see friends at church. I love seeing the old group I used to hang out with and I love seeing how they are embracing various roles in the church. It's also nice to see new faces there and to see that group continuing to grow and serve Knoxville.
A great weekend and one of the highlights of my year....
posted by Michael Hickerson at 8/10/2009 01:00:00 PM |
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