For those that do not already know, my dad had a heart defibrillator installed yesterday morning. Due to the skill of the

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surgical team and most importantly God’s care all went well and He should go home today to convalesce under the careful and skillful hands of my mother, his wife of 54 years.

I share that to explain my absence from The Morning Drive yesterday. I drove down to attend evening assembly with my parents and younger brother at Leonard Street Church of Christ on Sunday evening.  I spent the night at my brother’s place and the day with gathered physical and spiritual family at the hospital.  I reflected on that experience as I drove home last night and to my study this morning.

I do not consider my family unique and we are far from perfect. Yet there are some things we get right. As we waited for the medical team to do their job here is a glimpse of what helped us as a family.

1. We were surrounded my church family. The associate minister from where my brother serves as an elder was there. One gentleman and three ladies from where my parent’s worship and Dad serves as an elder were there as well.
2. We solicited prayers from spiritual people who were not there in person – some of you were praying – thanks!
3. We laughed together. One of the ladies from Leonard Street said her husband was not going to believe she had such a good time in the surgery waiting area.
4. We talked about family stories and events of years gone by.
5. We prayed together before Dad’s surgery as a family, privately as he was in surgery, and we said a prayer of
   

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   thanksgiving when he was out of recovery and in a regular room.

6. We talked about our children who are grown, in college, in their last year of high school, in elementary school and the things they are doing.
7. We prayed with a lady who was by herself when the news she received about her husband was not good.  Please keep William and his wife in your prayers.
8. We shared a meal in the waiting room.
9. We were together.

A family that prays together, worships together, laughs together, cries together, talks together, well that family is together.

Take time today to call a family member, just to talk.

– Scott