Family Comes First

"The three most important things to have are faith, hope and love. 

But the greatest of them is love" 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIRV)

I apologize for being so late on this Monday evening to get to my blog post. I spent the day with my sweet family at the Texas State Fair. We had a wonderful time today reconnecting, visiting and making memories that we will never forget. 

But, maybe I shouldn't apologize. Maybe no one should ever apologize when they take time off work or other responsibilities to spend time with family. After all family comes first right? At least that's how the saying goes. Imagine if everyone actually took that saying seriously?! How much divorce, strife, abuse, alcoholism, etc... would be lessened if people actually put their families first? 

Becoming a mother changed me from the inside out. I got my first taste of what it felt to really and truly live for someone other than myself. I had this person that was so completely dependent upon me to love them, care for them and feed them. The responsibility at first seemed overwhelming. Especially when I had my first child. It was very hard those first couple of months and I thought this motherhood thing has got to be the hardest job in the world. About 100% of the moms out there probably agree with me. Although it is difficult, it most assuredly has its benefits. Benefits that rival even the most competitive package one might be offered with a Fortune 500 company, such as:

- random hugs at any given moment
- bedtime snuggles and goodnight kisses
- those sweet moments when your little boy/girl might say to mommy or daddy "Can I    marry you when I grow up?"
- Seeing your child succeed the first time at trying something new
- Seeing your child pick themselves back up after failing and working harder to get it right
- sneaking back into their room after bedtime to grab their laundry basket and hearing them pray or read their bible
- those rare moments when your children, whether they are brother/brother, sister/sister, or brother/sister, actually show each other love, rather than a punch on the arm 

Now don't get me wrong! Working mommas receive the same benefit here, its not exclusive to SAHM's or anything like that. What I am trying to get across here is that there is no greater investment to make in your entire life than the investment you make in your family. Whether it be your spouse, your child, your parents, your brothers or sisters, or anyone! The investment you make with your time and energy into the relationship will reap a bountiful harvest of closeness, security and love that neither of you will ever forget. 

As God's word says, "The three most important things to have are faith, hope and love. But the greatest of them is love" 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIRV). We can have faith that can move mountains and believe and hope that God will do mighty things in and through our children or other family members. But if we don't first love, it all means nothing. If we don't show love to others, especially those closest to us, then as the Message version of the Bible tells us, we are bankrupt. 

So make a decision to wake up tomorrow morning and put on love. Love for our family, friends and anyone that might be within our power of influence that day. 

"Let them see you" JJ Weeks Band

Michelle Moore's new book, Arm Yourself, is now out! Click here to order your copy!