A Greater Loss

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."  Colossians 3:12-14

Friends having lunch...2004

A couple of weeks ago my hard drive crashed.  Every time I think about it, my heart drops and I grieve over the things I lost.  Here's a good plug to remind everyone to back-up their computers more than once a year.  Everything new on my computer since last summer, is gone, gone, gone.

One of my greatest losses included hours and hours worth of pictures I've scanned over the last few months.  Luckily I still have the actual pictures, and some of them I have posted on this blog.  But I think of all the time lost. 

But in the end it was just pictures and time.  There are a lot more important things in life.

Like people and relationships
(and, God of course).

Sure they take work and time, and unfortunately sometimes involve pain and heartache, but what a greater loss, however, if there's a "crash".

I want our children to know the value of working hard in their relationships... 
To forgive easily.
Communicate through conflict.
Invest time.
Have fun..
Shower encouragement.
Avoid gossip. 
Believe the best.
Tell the truth.
Laugh often.
Listen intently.

Relationships are a treasure that can be lost in a moment, just like all my pictures.  Work hard, children of mine, on doing your part in building, developing and saving the important relationships of your life.

Lord, help Alyssa and Kyle to value the people and relationships in their lives.  Help them to see the importance of their family and friends, and choose to work hard in making sure those relationships grow in love.  Bearing with each other and forgiving whatever grievances they may have against one another, is a high calling, but is worth all the work and effort they give it.  Teach them to not be afraid of conflict, and speaking truth, but that good things can come out of hard circumstances.  Lord, give Alyssa and Kyle friends that value who they are, and are willing to work hard at their relationship as well.  Friends are a sweet part of life, and can give us much happiness.  Thank you, Lord, for giving us such a precious gift! May we hold onto all that is dear in our lives.