Today was not your ordinary Valentines day. No, not by any stretch of the imagination. I along with my husband’s family was able to speak long distance to some of our French family who live 2 hours outside of Paris.
Not long ago, around Thanksgiving, we were privileged to find out that my husband’s dad, Johnny, had “long-lost” relatives in France. The story itself is so long and complicated it could be considered an epic, so I’m not inclined to give details at this point. However, at the end of the long tale is a family reunited.
Many times, since the discovery, my daughter Emily has said to me, “Mommy, I just don’t feel like I have relatives in France.” And I would say to her, “Me either, Em, me either.” Its interesting because I have experience in these realms. I have always had relatives at a distance – in Canada, out west – many loved ones far away. But – I have been to their homes, I have eaten meals with them, shared a holiday. In a tangible way I have experienced their presence and, if needed, I can call to mind their essence at a moments notice.
This video chat was to be our first experience of face to face, tangible moments together with our new found family. We were to meet our cousin and her three sons for the first time. The discussion went so many different directions; from pocket knives, to gas prices; from relatives who have gone on to Heaven, to babies due any day. It was really quite exciting to see this new relationship unfold.
Towards the end of the chat Maud said something to Johnny I will never forget. She said, “I am so glad that you have accepted me. It is so good to know that you love me.” I chocked back a sob and tears welled up in my eyes. I realized something at that moment. For so long she had been searching for family. On discovering us, her American family – she was also discovering love.
There are times in my life when I am not sure that I know what it means to be loved. I have experienced the love of a Heavenly Father in tangible and surreal ways. But still, there are times when He seems absent or very very far away. I don’t “feel” Him. I know that if I take a moment and think on Him, his presence becomes real. His Holy Spirit wraps love around my heart and binds me to himself once again.
If our cousin Maud knows the love of her Heavenly Father, she has not made it clear. But, I am pleased that God in His sovereign mercy chose to bring us together as a family. Just as we have begun to “feel” like we have family in France – maybe someday she and her loved ones will come to know and experience the love of a Heavenly Father.
What if someday I’m able to sit down with my children and share the whole epic tale of how a family that was divided was reunited, joined together in God’s time and for His purposes!? Now that would be an incredible love story to tell! Maybe it wasn’t such an unusual way to spend Valentine’s Day after all.
(originally written February 14, 2010 – also, this piece was my first work ever published – Valentine’s Day 2011)
daily portion 
First ever published? Meaning by you in a blog or elsewhere? Either way, congrats!
It was published in a small Church of God Sunday School publication a few weeks ago. I was pretty excited… a friend of a friend sort of thing is the editor and after reading a few of my pieces they asked me to submit a few to publish. Its an amazing thing that GOD is doing – because I never considered myself a writer – and have no idea what I’m doing in this arena!