It was my sister’s birthday yesterday and the occasion not only had me thanking God for her, but reflecting on my relationship to my sister and brothers (you’ll remember that my younger brothers are twins).  How many siblings do you have?  For those of you who are adults, are your brothers and sister near or far from you?  Have your relationships strengthened or weakened (maybe settling into a pattern of occasional contact)?

As siblings move into adulthood, their relationships take on new meanings.  The younger years of playing hide-n-seek, fighting over toys, and cheering for one another at sporting events give way to attending graduations, watching one another settle down with a job, and maybe even celebrating marriages and children close by or from a distance.

One of the hardest things I have noticed is what happens when your paths diverge and the LORD leads you in different directions from your siblings.  At that point, you either make a choice to work to continue investing in those relationships across the miles or the distance leads to, well, distance.  Hopefully, it causes us to cherish all the more the times we are able to spend together.  I count it a privilege that my sister Nicole, and brothers Joseph and Joshua are each walking with the LORD.  They have been and continue to be an example to me. From this past summer:

Oh, and Happy Birthday Nic!