We are a FamilyFamilies are important. What makes that so is the fact that we are who we are because of their influences in life. No matter what kind of family we are exposed to, we are shaped and become our being because of that influence. We can become victims of negative behaviors or encouraged by love and respect. But no matter what we are surrounded by, we are a family.God is a member of our family. God sits at the head of every table. Now, whether God is recognized or not depends on the members of that family. God wants to be there. Do we want to have God there? If we consider this reflectively, we realize that the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords and the Almighty Savior is in our midst each day and we can reach out and touch the hand of God! Awesome, huh?I met a young woman recently who was bitter and denied my message that God was in every family. She said, "Yeah, well I am angry and lonely in my family and I cannot find a speck of love there. What a sorry God there is in my family!" I felt her loneliness and abandonment. I suspect there is a time in all our lives when we feel God has left the room! I told her to do me a favor. I asked her to put an empty chair at the table the next time her family was together for dinner. Tell everyone that God requested a meal with them tonight. Say nothing more. Continue to eat and converse with each other and let me know how the communication went. I had forgotten about my request of her and when I saw her a month later she smiled at me. "What happened at your family dinner?" I asked. "Well," she said, "no big rush of affection, but there was definitely a difference in our conversation!" "How so?" I asked."My dad complimented my mom on the dinner! That may not sound like a big deal to you, but that has never happened. I smiled at God’s chair and my sister did, too! God was really there! I know it!!"Since that time, God has a special chair at every meal she eats. Even in restaurants, she tries to steal a chair from the table next to her for God. God is like that, you know. A solid member of the family and deserving of a place of honor at the table! This Thanksgiving set a chair for God. Make a tradition of allowing God to join you in the times of your life when you need Him most. Little changes are important and will grow as you allow God to become part of your family. Amen.