Merry Christmas: No Greater Love

Funny how family is defined by your own terms. Meaning who you want to selectively chose as your famiy and not by the definition of what God has given us by marriage or by his Word. 

We can not chose the one (Family) we have been given but that does not mean they are any less important or valued because you do not want them. Sadly, it is around the Holiday season that people feel the loneliest. Our actions can either draw them closer or push them further away. 

The best Christmas gift you can give is learning to genuinely accept the family God has given you for whom they are and where they are without judgement and condescension. You will never know the saddness/hurt they may feel in their own life. Sometimes it is just that small act of kindness which you showed them that kept them holding on.

The Christmas season is not about how big your tree is, how decorative your home is or how many gifts you purchase/receive. The Christmas season is about the spirit of Unity, Empathy, Concern and most of all Love you exhibit to NOT just your biological family but to humanity on a whole. It is how we take one day and multiply it's blessings in the other 364 days until another Christmas day occurs. It is how we sincerely say I LOVE YOU and mean it without pretense and requirements attached. It is about not forgetting the rough and rugged path that we traveled to get to where we are in our present. It is about seeing the jewels in those we treasure and realizing that they are priceless.

This Christmas don't just say I love you out of habit. Say I love you and mean it. Be the gift of love that you have always wanted someone to be truly to you.

There is no greater love.

Merry Christmas

Fawn N. Rhodes

Decisions & Consequences

What I have learned in the last 5 years. You will continously reap the harvest of the decisions you make whether good or bad. We tend to over philophize situations when things are essentially quite simple. 

10 yrs ago I met my sons father, while I lived in Philadelphia. He played professional basketball for the IBA, International Basketball Association.  He was a very polite, kind and respectful man.  Initially, all seemed fine he was still playing with his IBA team and we had no issues that I saw. We had a lot laughter and joy within our relationship.  But considering, we had a commuting relationship (he lived out of state) how much was I really going to see? He finally injured out and came home that is really when it hit the fan.

I saw he was completely irresponsible with money and business affairs. He had no idea what he had in his accounts and we CONSTANTLY argued about bills. When Dynnie was born we had already broken up. We tried to make it work for 6months. The part I played, I could have been more understanding less sarcastic.

Now at 39, I am beyond the foolishness of my twenties, make much wiser decisions, treat men so much better and all around a different woman. I write this long epilogue to say, even if you change, the decisions you make effect and affect you for a lifetime. The blessing of my relationship was not just my son, but my integrity and character improved. 

Be wise about every step you make. You can be on top today and in the line at social services by the end of the day. Life has a way of humbling us and I believe that the Lord allows certain situations in our lives to draw us closer to him. 

I haven't always had the faith that I have now nor the character that I have now. I encourage you all on this last day on earth, LMBO. To evaluate and make every effort to make wiser decisions. The consequences of those decisions are far stretching.

~THE END

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