The Chairs

pictured-My Jenna with Francisco

Years ago I thought we should have a family motto. I had read it or heard it somewhere that it gave your family a purpose. Yeah, it made sense to me and so I waited til I heard or found a motto that moved me. I found it, don't ask me to remember where or when, but it has stuck for all these years. I don't know how powerful it has been for each individual but for me it is a visual picture that gives me hope. Our motto is

"NO EMPTY CHAIRS"

At the time it seemed completely do-able to maintain and fill each chair. Shoot, every night back then I cooked a hot meal and around that table we sat and talked and every chair was filled....emotionally, spiritually and physically. Cool.  My plan to have a motto and have it inspire me was working.
Psh, piece of cake.

It seemed Jon and  I would always be able to sit with our wonderful children and have an influence in all aspects of their lives. The kids listened and were sweet and obedient and life was good.

But with the kids growing and changing I have been haunted by the motto that I once so easily managed. These days it is not as easy to get the kids to listen to my unfailing wisdom.  If  I was a quitter I would just find a new motto like, " Just try to keep it together" but this " No Empty Chairs" makes me think of eternity and big emotional and spiritual stuff and I get a little panicked when I think of how many chairs I'm gonna need as more people come into my family. Honestly, what was I thinking?!

In all my thinking and pondering,  I have come up with an answer that I believe was pure inspiration. I could not have thought of this alone and I know that this is the answer that I was looking for.

Here it is.

As individuals and collectively we must...

Be true at all times.

So now my motto has an amendment.

In order to have "No Empty Chairs" we must be " True at all times."

Truth will strengthen all of us... across the miles that separate us or the years that we have been apart. It will move us to prayer and fill us with love for each other. It will keep us honest and repentant and move all of us into action to ensure that there will be no empty chairs.