The brothers are getting together at 6:15 A.M. this morning to pray for our company, as well as their relationship with one another, and whatever else they are led to do. What better way to start the Strange Family blog, this being my first post. In Psalms 133:1 says, "How wonderful it is, how pleasant, when brothers live together in harmony!" (The exclamation point is even in the Bible.) This verse expresses the biggest desire I've had since having five sons. There were years in which I not only wondered if they could dwell "in harmony"; I just hoped they wouldn't destroy each other before reaching adulthood. Of course that's a mild exaggeration, but there were times that it looked impossible for them to love one another as friends should, and not just tolerate each other because they were brothers. When they were younger it seemed easier because Burt and I have always been around to encourage them to get along. Many times they were told to "bless one another" after somebody had made a smart comment or put-down. We have had to insist that they go through the process of apologizing and asking for forgiveness and having the offended party verbalize the forgiving. They have had to hug each other after a settled dispute. They have heard the reminder that they are each other's best friends for life...in short, they have had the relationship thing preached to them all their lives.
The fact that Burt and I are both only children might be a factor in our parenting style, or it might just be that the bickering makes someone with my temperament get depressed. Whatever the case, I love Psalm 133:1.
