Treasure seeking

I just finished writing a "thank you" card to my Great Aunt. It may be the last card I ever get to send her. Aunty Dory, Doris Anythe Peterson, (btw Anythe is my middle name), is ready to go "home" to be with Uncle Carl. She's tired, sick, and just wants to go. I can hear it in her voice when I talk to her. I understand her wanting to go... I will miss her so much. But what I am really convicted by, is all the years I didn't call her. All the times I didn't write her... All the wasted years not telling her how much I love her. It's not like I intentionally did it... I was busy raising my family, busy working, just busy. And it's not like she ever made me feel bad about not calling, not keeping in contact, nope, never once. But now that my children have their own families they're busy raising, and I am alone, I have called her more often. Not nearly as much as I should, but I have. And each time I did, that little 5-10 min conversation meant SO much to
her. She made me feel like the most special person on the planet for calling her, telling me I made her day, her week, her month even! And I would hang up and think... Why do I wait so long to call her? Why am I so selfish that I don't take 5 min to just call her and tell her I love her more often? It's such a simple little thing. Less time than it takes to catch up on Facebook, and so much more valuable, to me and her! She is my FAMILY! and when it's all said and done in your life, God and family are the ONLY things that matter. This LOVE is the only thing that can't be stolen from us. Even when they are gone from this earth, we still have their memories, their love in our hearts. Nothing or no one can take that away unless we let them. (Romans 8:35-39) The question is, how many memories are we going to have after they are gone? What kind of memories will they be? Will they be full of regret? Will they be full of guilt for all the times you just didn't
take the time to tell them you love them. Or all the times you didn't make time to see them? Or will they be full of beautiful little moments shared? I've found that the more I give out to, share with others, the more blessed I AM! even though they are the ones "recieving" I end up being the one blessed. Family is so IMPORTANT. Mothers, Fathers, Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins... And then your "extended" family... Those friends who have become family... All of them are the ones who truly matter in this life. You never know when they will be gone from here, or when you will... I am convicted by this... Making every moment here count by making every moment a chance to show and tell my family how much I love them. 1Cor 13:13 "And now abide in faith, hope, love, these three. But the greatest of these is LOVE."

Co