Steve & Sharon | Greenwood Furnace PA Extended Family Session

Life is full of choices.

BIG choices like what career you decide, who you marry, what house you buy, kids or no kids, if yes how MANY kids.

All the way down to
Do I want to get out of bed?
What happens if I DON’T get out of bed today?
What do I do first?
Caffeine or Breakfast? (Breakfast every time for me)
Coffee or tea? (Chai!)
What do I wear?

And the list goes on and on.

Life is also made up of circumstances and situations.
Some we get ourselves into, some we don’t get to choose.
One of those things we don’t get to choose is family.

(::Dramatic pause:: while you think about your family)

If you could pick your family, would you pick the family God gave you? Or someone else?

(That just got deep fast… ::repeat dramatic pause::)

Have you always felt that way?

(…you guessed it… ::dramatic pause:: …)

I can’t say for sure that I have ALWAYS felt the way that I feel, but I CAN say for sure that I don’t remember a time when I EVER have wished I could have picked a different family.

Don’t get me wrong, my family is not perfect. But I am probably further from perfect than they are.
Have I been mad at them? absolutely.
Have I made them mad? HA is that even a question?!
But was I and am I loved? Without a doubt
And do I love them? Deeper than you can imagine.
And I wouldn’t trade them for the world.
God gave them to ME and despite how they feel about it, God gave ME to THEM.
Why?
I have no idea, but I’m so glad He picked me to be part of them.
And I’m so glad He chose them to be stuck with me 🙂

There is truly no way to count how many invaluable lessons I have learned from each of them.
My Parents instilled solid old-fashioned values in my heart and in my being through words and lessons but more than anything by example.
My sisters gave me opportunity to put those values and lessons into practice. And sometimes to test them…
Like “foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.” Provers 22:15
See what happened was…

But really, I truly have been blessed in so many ways to have the family I have. I meant it when I said I wouldn’t trade them for the world. And more than anything I am glad that they put up with me! (not always an easy task)

To my family: Thank you. I could go on and on more than I already have but not much of it would be more valuable that just Thank you and I love you each so much.

Dad- Thank you for teaching me how to learn from every adventure life takes me on, and to always be prepared for the good, the bad, and the ugly. You showed me how to bend but not break no matter what life throws at me.

Mom- Thank you for teaching me how to handle the good with humility, the bad with patience, the ugly with grace and forgiveness, and for all else, seek God. You truly are one of the most patient and gracious women I know. If I can only be half the woman you are, I will feel as if I have already accomplished a great deal in life

Shara- You never cease to amaze me. You have shown me the importance of living a life and instilling grace and forgiveness first and foremost in my children… NO MATTER WHAT shows it’s ugly face. The value of forgiveness is not in how much or if the other person deserves it, but rather in the freedom of not having to carry the burden of their actions towards you. Thank you for being the strong woman that you are.

Sheila- You have shown me the healing power and the deep value of worship, even in the midst of trials and pain. Not only intentionally but I can’t count the nights that I flung myself on my bed and started pouring my tears and heart out to God over this, that, or the other thing and within moments would be greeted by the sweet sound of the piano and your voice as you would start practicing your songs for worship or just playing. Thank you for your sensitivity to worship and allowing God to use you.

Ben- Thank you for choosing us. Ok well you kinda chose Sheila, but we were a package deal and thankfully for us, even after meeting us you didn’t turn tail and run the other way. You actually CHOSE to be part of our family. And part of the family you have definitely become. A WELCOMED part of the family (and the son[in-law] dad always needed) Your strong peaceful presence is a refreshing addition to each and every family gathering.