Family

Date: 22 October 2009 21:47:23

Having arrived back safely on the mainland today from my unexpected expected trip back to Guernsey, once again I am forced to reflect on what an amazing family I have and how fortunate I am. So often I take them for granted, particularly as I see more of my Mum's side of the family than Dad's.

For the first time in ages I have realised what a privilege it is to have both sides of the fmaily who are so diverse and interesting, as well as supportive and loving. Partly this was due to the fact that we were all together to celebrate the life of my lovely Grandpa, but what was also overwhelming was the delight from everyone about our engagement an the excitement from them about our forthcoming wedding. This is one of the reasons that I want to get married in Guernsey. My friends are incredibly important to me but it is my family who have helped to shape me into the person I am today. My friends have really done some of the icing on the cake, but it is my family who baked the cake in the first place (admittedly it is probably a fruit cake!). They have provided a strong, loving and challenging foundation for me and they have continued to love me despite my faults and when I have let them down.

Uncle John gave a lovely tribute at Grandpa's funeral, and Dad gave me a transcript of what he said. This little bit really stuck in my mind...

"Our father had a very simple faith. The secret of his faith was also very simple He always felt he was a vulnerable human being. He knew that he could not serve God in his own strength. So every morning he had a time of quiet devotion, reading a passage from scripture, contemplating its truths and praying. We as children wish to thank our parents for their constant devotion to God and their Godly example during our formative years. They were both ordinary, humble Christians with human frailties that we human beings all share. We thank God for giving us the parents he did, in the same way as they themselves thanks God for us children. We thanks Dad and Mary for praying for all of us individually by name every day for so many decades. Only eternity will reveal the effectiveness of those prayers. Our parents' constant prayer, and that of Mary too, was that we children and all our offspring would follow Christ so that when we leave this earth we shall be together in heaven and that family circle will not be broken."

When I consider this as my family heritage I realise more than ever just how privileged I am. I also think of my lovely Gran Nora and include her in this tribute along with my Grandpa who died when I was 9 years old. I have been lucky enough to have had grandparents and parents who have continually prayed for me. What an amazing background to have.