Family Trees and Olive Branches

Do not be like children in your thinking, my brothers; be children so far as evil is concerned, but be grown up in your thinking. 1 Corinthians 14:20 

Then we shall no longer be children, carried by the waves and blown about by every shifting wind of the teaching of deceitful men, who lead others into error by the tricks they invent. Instead, by speaking the truth in a spirit of love, we must grow up in every way to Christ, who is the head. Ephesians 4:14 and 15.

Christina Hergenreder used these verses to speak to over one hundred women at the Shiloh campground in Nebraska this year. My sister and I were able to attend and grew in our understanding of family dynamics. 

First, we were told to tell what it was like to enter our family living room at the home we grew up in. We both said it was usually a great feeling in our home in the country in Nebraska. It was a safe home, the neighborhood was so safe, we never locked our doors. We kids never had a key to the house. 

We were lucky that our parents believed the Bible. We did not have alcohol, parents missing, or a lot of brokenness. We had pet dogs and cats and even a pet skunk. The skunk was de-scented and had been brought to us after the neighbor ran over the mother in his field. He brought it to us knowing we cared for animals. The veterinarian removed the sac of foul-smelling fluid, and he became a household pet.

However, we learned from the campground conference from Genesis 50:20, Luke 23:24 and Ephesians 4:14 and 15 that these actions would help us when tragedy or disagreement appears in our family: 

• We do not control others’ emotions or actions
• To glorify the Lord in our actions
• Our identity can be made with using the riches of our Lord’s glory
• We need to forgive even when we don’t want to 
• Love surpasses all
• Bring your hurt to our Lord
• Teach your kids from words of Jesus in the Bible
• Love of Christ and family passes all else

We also learned to build family with

• Devotions 
• Weddings
• Big birthday gatherings
• Touching and holding each other
• Eating together
• Touching each other with love 
• Building a family mission statement

To top off a beautiful day of learning I got a Facetime call from a granddaughter while at the event, that she had become engaged. Thankfully, we get to invite a fine young gentleman into our family. He used a lot of what we learned to build family when he invited friends from far-away places to view his giving of a diamond.

Sandra Hilsabeck