Joyful Transformation

I love to spend time with my cousins. It is amazing that no matter what is between the book-ends you can pick up and relate to each other. The joking and poking fun flows freely. I think this bond is more about shared history, whether good or bad than anything else. The problem is that it seems the only time I get to see them is at the funeral home.

My aunt moved on to a better place this past Thursday. Last night was spent at the funeral home and the funeral will be today. These occasions are bittersweet. Everyone enjoys seeing each other but the certainty of our paths becomes clearer with each passing. The group of cousins my age somehow feel that we are still the "young guns", but reality is that we have taken over as the middle age group. We are burying our parents.

I wish that we could find a way to spend time together between these sad occasions, but the reality is that we are all busy with our lives. We do enjoy seeing each other and being together, but partially this is because it is a break in our routines, a chance to revisit our past.

My heart hurts for the cousins burying their mother today. But I pray that they will find strength in their love for each other and the love of the family. I know that God will hold them close and shower them in his love....if they will let him. I will pray that he breaks into the hearts that have been hardened against him.