Ever wonder where family begins and ends? When does it begin? If family begins when two people meet and marry, why is there such a craze to do DNA testing or to know what nationality runs in your blood. Does nationality make a family? I don’t think so. Many of us have a large mix of nationalities in us. Myself, I have English, Irish and German while my husband is mostly German and Irish. So where does it begin? Does blood make a family? No it doesn’t. It begins with Love.

Recently I was sort of hit with the term family and it started me thinking and of course when I start thinking, watch out. My mind sort of takes me in lots of directions until I can sort it all out. Ever have that happen to you?

When two people meet and marry, it is bringing together many different blood lines and molding them into one to make a family. When you give birth, it is the same. You have taken different blood lines and brought forth yet another family being. But wait…there is yet another way. That is adopting someone or some baby and making it part of your blood lines. But wait, it is another blood line brought together into yours to love, cherish and to mold together yet another family member.

I had never given this much thought until lately. Maybe because I’m getting on in years but recently this was brought to my attention. Let me explain…. I have a grandson that came into our family when he was three years old. I have never thought of him in any other way except as a grandson. He is grown now and has started a family of his own. Over the years it as if I had forgotten that he was adopted but it has never made a difference. He is our grandson which means his children are our great grandchildren. They are family as is his wife and her family.

While he was recently visiting his father and us, someone out of hurt made the remark to him that he shouldn’t be visiting us as we were not his family. His mom and dad were divorced years ago but again we have never thought of him in any other way except he was family. Funny how hearing this started me thinking about family and when it all begins. Again, it begins with love.

Years ago, back in the 1980’s our son started dating a young lady who had a son. I remember the very first day they brought him to our house. It was love at first sight, He had a head of blond curly hair and he just loved to laugh and play. When they married and became a family, our son adopted her son so they were a complete family unit. We were all family. Didn’t matter that our blood didn’t flow in his veins just that love brought us all together. Just proof that blood doesn’t make a family. Love makes a family.

So, although DNA lets you know your heritage it doesn’t confirm family. Look around you at your family. Doesn’t take blood to hold and mold you together. DNA is not the glue that holds you together. Love is and does.

I have friends that I love and think of as family although they are not what some would call family. We are just as close as family. Over the years they have become part of who I am. A few that have been around long before I married and we are still close and love each other. Hasn’t mattered that we made a lot of mistakes over the years and sometimes even hurt each other. Love had and has us glued together as if we are family. No DNA can ever change that. Family is love and is held together by love. Many times within a family we say and do things that hurt each other but we’re still family and that is what is important. Not where we came from but how we love and care for each other. We can’t change who we are. Even divorce can’t change who family is. Sometimes we just have to learn how to forgive and love each other.

One thing that we have to learn and hold dear is who and what love really is. Jesus is love and when we know Him, his love conquers all and hold us together. His blood flows through our veins and makes us who we are. It brings us to the cross and the blood that He shed there on that cross covers us and our sins and mistakes and brings us together in a love that even we can’t begin to really understand until we have accepted Him and His forgiveness and it then helps us to love and forgive and to hold each other together like glue. Makes us family. Only when we realize this can we truly understand love and what makes us family.