"Kinfolks"

I always got excited,

When the kinfolks came around,

All from South Carolina,

My Daddy’s people found.

Had lots of aunts and uncles,

Lots of cousins, too,

And when they came to our house,

The love, it flowed right through.

There was music, there was laughter,

There was food and so much fun,

Went hunting and got horseback,

And told stories, what they’d done,

Back when they all were children,

In good old Honea Path,

The days of heart and heart-break,

And all that made them laugh.

Someone would mention Mama,

And every son then cried,

I never got to meet her,

Before I was born she died.

Uncle Roy, he was a preacher,

And a good one I suppose,

Writer, artist, horseman,

Played music, all of those.

Uncle Ward was the oldest,

Crusty, but tender heart,

A pistol by the bedside,

He’d always do his part.

Uncle Ralph was just so funny,

He always had a joke,

And every single story,

Was fun the way he spoke.

Aunt Ruby was the sister,

Of Ralph, Ward, Roy and Dad,

She could be a little stern,

But lots of strength she had.

But put them all together,

With food and fun and time,

And you could always count on,

A memory really fine.

And now they’re all in heaven,

Aunt Ruby last to go,

Made it to most 105,

I miss ‘em all although,

Their time on earth was fleeting,

I’d never call ‘em back,

‘Cause now I know with Jesus,

There is nothing that they lack.

But I have those good memories,

When I was just a boy,

And all the kinfolks gathered,

And we had so much joy.

“See how very much our Father loves us, for He calls us His children…” (1 John 3:1, NLT)

It’s wonderful to be able to enjoy one’s family. If you do, you are blessed. But it’s even more important to understand that we can be part of God’s forever family. Our adoption into this family is based upon receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior. This personal experience is required and cannot be substituted by anything or anyone else. In other words, God has no grandchildren, only children. And each person is invited to become His child through faith in Jesus Christ. Once united with Him, He then unites us with all others who have done the same. We receive the entire family of God when we receive God’s salvation through Jesus Christ. In fact, the way one becomes a church “member” is by having Jesus make us one. He adds to His church those who are being saved, as the book of Acts says. Thank God for every blessing we receive through our kinfolks. And thank God even more for the eternal blessing we receive by being a part of God’s forever family.

Lord, unite us with you and one another, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Don Dane, dondane.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Don, and God bless you.