First off, let me apologize to any of you blog-readers who follow my social media for the incessant stream of photos last week posted under my ever-clever hashtag: #VekerVacay.
But come on, it doesn’t happen all too often that all 6 of the Veker fam can get an entire week free of sports/work/school (ok really just sports) to all go on a family vacation. It hasn’t happened in years. So it was pretty monumental. For a variety of reasons.
Primarily being: JESUS IS FAITHFUL.
If you know my family you know we are so stinkin’ far from perfect it’s almost laughable that I can write a blog post on Jesus’ redeeming work in our family. Let’s just say, one time there was a fight so bad between my brother Erik and I that we left a trail of Subway lettuce from the elevator to the hotel room marking the path of our tussle. I mean, we had full-on brawls growing up. But praise God I have since matured and seen that “violence is not the answer” (or the boys just grew 3 inches taller and put on 80 more pounds than me; you pick your reason).
But, you get the picture: not the peaceful, perfect, put-together family one idealizes. Can I get an amen?! Anybody feelin’ me on this “my family isn’t perfect” motif we got going? Ok great, I’m not alone. Thankfully though, the Lord doesn’t leave us in our imperfection.
This past week is evidence of that.
I can’t go into detail on every sweet moment the Lord gave us together, and of course we still had the occasional outburst, but God came through and gave us the most peaceful, relaxing, unifying, encouraging, adventurous, amicable time together I have ever experienced with this motley crew I call family.
Sure, we got to go ATVing around the gorgeous red rock mountains in beautiful Sedona, Arizona. But let me tell you, gazing out over the brilliantly illuminated skyline, taking in some of God’s most glorious creations wasn’t even the best part. You know what was? When we all sat down around the dinner table together every night and laughed hysterically at Tryg’s nightly comedy act, and listened to Dad’s random facts he knows about everything, and heard mom’s lifeguarding stories, and gave Siri unsolicited dating advice, and listened to Erik’s excitement about starting his first year of college. Those were the moments that took my breath away. Where I had to lean back and practically fight back tears reflecting on just how far Jesus has brought this rag-tag team.
Only He could do the ridiculous redemption I’ve seen in my family. Only He could bring us together for a shared prayer in a public restaurant before every meal out together. Only He could spark dialogue about the intricacies of His Word between siblings. Only He can work this kind of healing and love in a world of strife and brokenness.
Dear blog reader, I share this story with you only to encourage you in your own family scenario, whatever rag-tag team you call your family. I promise you mine hasn’t always looked so good. And we have so, so far to go. But the brilliant part of this story is that there was nothing special about my family that made it work this time around; it was on God’s grace alone.
I’ll leave you with this verse,
“O Lord GOD, you have only begun to show your servant your greatness and your mighty hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as yours?” Deuteronomy 3:24. Only our King Jesus.
Forever His,
Grace
