Framily

The text came right around dinner time: “I bought a Boston butt. Want some?” “Sure! We’ll take a cheek some! Thanks!” (unlike me, but I couldn’t help it!) “I’m on my way,” was the final reply.

I smiled at myself, and thanked the Lord for my best friend. Here my husband was between jobs, and I knew she wanted to make our burden a little lighter. I knew how she felt– just like I did when her husband lost his job last year: just as if it was my own family.

With so few “real” family members in existence, I’ve never been a stranger to the idea of framily– you know, friends you forget you aren’t related to. Throughout my growing up years, we gathered them as we went along. They pulled up a seat to our Sunday afternoon meals week after week, and many times enjoyed holidays at our house as if they had been born to us.

There are some, like “Gram”, who have been with us for most of my remembrance. She picked us kids up and took us to church picnics with her, and sometimes I would ask to spend the night. When Gram moved south, it didn’t take my family too long to follow. She may not be blood, but we’re definitely knit together as if we were from the same fabric. What would life have been without her? What will it be like, I wonder?

Some framily members are slightly newer, like my best pal. Here too, God has knit us together. Whatever happens, and whatever the plans are, the word used is “WE”. You won’t go through anything without me, and when you have fun, I’m all in for that too.

As I sit here and think about all of those who have been instrumental in my life, those who have allowed themselves to be His hands, His feet, His heart to me, I’m filled with so much gratitude.

They say that you can pick your friends, but you can’t pick your family. I say you can’t pick your family, and I’ll let Him keep picking my friends.