known.

it's hard. this living apart from the people who love you.

it's hard to be away when the dark, grittiness of life seeps into the lives of those you love and you are far away. you are so far you have to fly to meet them again. to hold their hearts next to yours and feel the joy of being known. of laughing with those who are probably the funniest people you know, not because they are actually the funniest, but because their humour, is your humour.

it's hard to be away when there's joy to be shared, or sadness. and then, in an instant you step back into life with them, for hours, maybe days, and it is soul restoring. it is redeeming the loss of all those other moments and minutes.

god's wisdom created the family. the circle of people who circle around you in those great and small moments, who will love you despite and because, who can tell others about who you are. maybe, in some ways, the family is a glimpse of god's knowledge of us. a father who understands our every sigh, every laugh, who's sense of humour we share, who gets us in a way that no one else does.

the a.b.'s capture the cutest child on earth

our family is changing - the 'kids' table is filled with adults, and the next generation has started. i looked around the room on the day we remembered our saviour's work for us, and i exhaled a little bit. i was known.

cousins!

i am known. my heavenly father knows me intimately. and because of jesus, i can know him intimately as well.