Grace

I hesitate to write this post -- partly because it seems that my last few posts have been rather serious & partly because it's hard to actually write about.
Those parts of your life & family that no one really knows about or knows to ask about.  And last night I was reminded of that part of my life & family, but mostly reminded of how vital grace is to a family.

I have two older half sisters - a fact that not many people are aware of.  And my eldest sister has had a pretty challenging life, by circumstance & by choice.  I know she often feels rejected and abandoned by the family, and last night made that painfully clear during a family pizza night.  When I would have previously gotten angry with her or even annoyed, last night was different.  Despite the fact that she was in a mood the whole night, and some times talking ill of our dad - I wasn't affected by that.  All I have within me wanted to be gracious & try to understand & be helpful.  It was a challenge to be sure, but I couldn't seem to help it.
She has a little baby girl who is beautiful & precious - and deserves in no way anything but love, grace, care, & protection.
So I found myself reaching out to my older sister and offering her advice, consoling her as best I could, and trying to share that we all need to give each other a chance & some grace.  Me for her, her for my dad, he for her, our sister for her....the list goes on & on.  I kept saying, we're family and we have to give each other some grace a lot of the time.

In the end my dad tried to reach out, as best he knows how & she was moderately responsive.  It'll take time I told each of them.  And that was it.  She was off and we were all headed home.  
It's hard to know how to respond sometimes when the situation calls for so many different reactions.  It's hard not to get upset and hold things against one another.  But where would that get us in the end? Alienated from everyone - including our family.
 We're going to keep trying to re-connect and build a healthy relationship with my sister from the ground up, we'll keep trying to do our part.  We'll see how things come together.

<3