It's a Wonderful Life...

Merry Christmas.

As I ponder what is important this holiday season, besides Jesus being the obvious choice, I seem to keep going back to my family. I know, I harp on how great a family I have, but it is true. We have some characters in our family, and they know who they are (I am one of them). The fact that you can choose your friends, but not your family is certainly true. Honestly, I love spending holidays with my family members. Some of those family members are my friends, too. I love the holidays when we just spend the day together. Sitting around talking and sharing time together. Sounds trite, but it isn't really. I just love it.

I think I would enjoy living on a commune with my girls and their families. They are a fun lot of people. I am thankful to God for giving my oldest child a man who actually loves her and puts her first in his life. I don't have to worry about whether or not he loves her children -- you can see how much he does. She is happy, and that makes me happy. My youngest has a man who cherishes her and their kids. He is the perfect man for her. I doubt if my children would like to live on a commune with me, so I will settle for them living in the same proximity that I live. I love that I can see them whenever I need to.

I love my grandchildren with a love that is totally different from my children. Very strong and protective, very gentle and sweet. I don't have to raise them into people, so I can just love them. And I do. So very much. None of them are perfect, but they are perfect enough for me.

I just watched It's a Wonderful Life the other night on TV. It is a holiday favorite of mine. (I also like Christmas Vacation and the Grinch as well.) Anyway, I was thinking what would change if I had never been born, and it blows me away to realize what wouldn't have happened if I hadn't been born. I didn't have the greatest of childhoods, and am by no means as important as George Bailey was to his community, but I have value. I have worth. If it weren't for me, my children wouldn't have been born, nor would I have my grandchildren. We all impact each other, whether we are aware of it or not. I pray that my impact would be a positive one. I have so many people who love me, and I am very blessed.

All in all, I have a wonderful life.