My Cousin's Big Fat Chinese Wedding

This weekend I went to Sarnia to attend my cousin's wedding. Congrats to Yin and Rob, and I wish you all the best for your future. The whole weekend was hilarious; I don't think there was ever a more eccentric group of people that existed....my family is so LOUD, and BOISTEROUS, and HUNGRRRY - it's sooo funny! But it was also really cool, going back to my old romping grounds where I grew up. So many memories in that place, and i realize that I love coming from a small town. There are just so many things that you remember, and you almost idealize because it IS a hick town, and there are so many small town characters, and in the mind of this "hyper-dramatic-soap-opera-fanatic" of course I have the tendency to remember Sarnia like it was Dawson's Creek: before they were teenagers.

Passing by my house, I remembered riding my bike to Anne-Marie's house down the street, and the block of sidewalk where I fell off my bike and scraped my knee and then cried all the way home. I remember running after the school bus every morning, because i was ALWAYS late.

But family is cool. My cousin's house was "home base" for the wedding party, plus all my aunts and uncles and cousins from all over the world had come to stay. It was like the "Wong Family Bed and Breakfast" and with all the hubbub of noise and people running up and down the stairs, eating and cooking, it was cool to just hang out and talk.

Coming back home, I had a thought. This weekend, I realized the true meaning of family. And here's my brainfart: "Family is that group of people to which you always belong."

When I'm with my family (and right now i'm thinking my immediate family), i never feel unwelcome, or unloved. And what's more, I don't believe that family is limited to blood relation - i think people often get that mixed up because a common genetic heritage often gives people something to relate to. But deep down, i don't think that's what is fundamental about family. Family is where you're always feel welcome and loved. It's where people accept you for who you are, and more than that, they love you for it. You'll never feel like a social outcast with family.

when I think about family, sure, the first thing that comes to mind is the loud raging bunch of aunts, uncles, cousins on my dad's side. But you know what? As I defined it, family also sounds a heck of a lot like my family in Christ. Those Brothers and Sisters who have welcomed me into their lives with open arms. Countless times I've been the new girl, just met someone and already they're so welcoming to me and interested in who i am, and i just wanted to say thank you. I just wanted to praise God for that blessing, because He gave us this weird, amazing instant FAMILY no matter where you go on this earth.