El Primos de Mi

I love my cousins.  I have more than I count and they keep arriving daily.  It is wonderful.  From my mom’s side (the Lesters) with 9 siblings, I have 29 first cousins. But that is only the beginning.  There are 21 in the next generation (maybe 1 or 2 more)!  We have all been close from the start, but that closeness is changing; it’s growing deeper.

This morning in my readings I encountered a couple of cousins in the 2nd chapter of Luke: Elizabeth and Mary.  They were both caught up in a movement of God. They both had to be AWARE enough to hear, see and discern God’s direction and then they had to be willing to FOLLOW.  Elizabeth and Mary did an awesome thing! They joined in what God was doing – completely. Both had to deal with “odd” situations:  A late pregnancy and then a child that lived on locusts and wild honey; An unplanned pregnancy and then a child that was the Son of God. Gracious! That’s a lot of courage.

My cousins and I have many amazing experiences.  But it doesn’t come with the status quo. It comes, rather, with a new awareness to follow what God is doing with us.

Our extended family was given the spiritual gift of unconditional love. It was passed on to us by our grandparents: P.E. and Myrtle Lester.  What I am enjoying so much, is the unique ways God is showing us to live that out in these days.

My Pincho (sister) and I have named this year:  Awareness to Follow (A2F).  They are words quite different from those we have received over the past few years.  I trust completely that God has prepared us for these days and for this special year of 2014. I know God uses families and I believe God is using us. What we have to share is not measured by wealth or fame. Our primary gift is Love. I believe if we give that first, all the other things we are supposed to share will come. Like Elizabeth and Mary…like my Lester cousins…like the generation that passed it all on to us….Let it Be! A2F