The blessing of... Family

I'm going to depart a bit from the GreaThings schedule today, and instead of doing the assignment (letter I) mention my Family. God really has blessed me with an amazing family.

Dad is a man of God with a passion for the Lord. He loves teaching, almost as much as he enjoys learning. We often pass book recommendations back and forth between us. As much as he enjoys learning new things, another important quality is that he is discerning in the materials that he reads and how they line up with the whole of scripture. He also has amazing faith in God. I could tell stories, but there isn't space. :-)

Mom is the most patient person I know. Seriously. She is loving, supportive, and probably the only person I actually talk to on a (almost) daily basis. She has lived a life of dedication to God first and to her family next, and provided me with a wonderful model to follow with my own family.

Dallas, Josiah, Jonathan

Josiah is the 4th and youngest of the brood. He loves army men and computer games, but has some amazing insights as well. I remember my surprise when I walked into the computer room one day and saw a note (a LARGE and DISTRACTING note) reminding him not to get on the computer till AFTER he'd done his quiet time for the day.

Dallas is the 3rd of the brood. His hobbies are varied, but almost always in the arts. He's pursued dulcimer, drawing, photography, piano, computer graphics and I forget what else--with varied levels of success. He also has commitment, as shown by his job--an early morning (as in, 3am) shift.

Jonathan with Amanda and Abigail 

Jonathan and I were pretty close growing up, partially due to our closeness of age, and partly because we were the only two siblings that had our own room. I remember when he was fairly young and new to having his own room he'd come to my room just to visit. I also played more pranks on him than any of my other brothers... Now he's a banker, web designer, and one of the most committed people I know. A man of his word.

Amanda is my sister-in-law (married to Jonathan), but I've told her it's just a matter of convenience. She was my best friend and a part of the family LONG before I knew my brother would be obliging enough to marry her to make it all permanent. She's the closest thing to a "real" sister that I've ever had, down to rooming together for a couple months a few years ago. She's artistic, fun, gave me a cute little niece, and conveniently lives about a half a block away.