Include ME!!

He answered, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" - Luke 10:27

Yesterday our family ventured out to Naples' beach to watch fireworks along with thousands of others. It was a task to get everyone ready and prepped for the outing. I was tired and not wanting to go, but my mind kept bringing to my attention that we are making sweet memories with our kids...even when it seems taxing to us as parents! We stopped by Publix and picked up some food and water. We brought tons of toys to play with and set up our chairs. Finally relaxing with the fam...aaaaagggghh. It was nice to finally sit down and relax. 

The beach was packed with people. Laughing, relaxing, and enjoying life. Building memories, creating community, and celebrating our freedom. Then I received a text from a friend of mine who is single wanting to join us. What an opportunity to allow her to be apart of our (sometimes crazy & wacky) family when hers is far away. She drove down, weaved through traffic to find a parking spot to come and hang with us. What a gift. For her. But more so for us. I was able to listen to her life story and hear what God is doing in her life. 

God wants us to make memories and do fun things with our kids. HE also wants us to keep our eyes peered for those people without family close by and include them into those plans. My sweet friend thanked me a ton afterward the fireworks, and I realized she was a gift to us by her coming to hang with our family. It was a simple invite, into plans we already had made. Simple. Fun. What Jesus would do! Something I want to do more often and need to be intentional about... just including those without family to experience the amazing and true love of the body of Christ. 

Keep your eyes open for those people without family close by and include them into an outing your family has planned. It will mean the world to them, and also teach your kiddos about loving others the way Jesus would!

Has God put anyone in your path this week that you can invite over for dinner? Crazy family dinners to  us - are sweet and fun for others to take part in! Especially when their own family is far away! Include them! It will mean more than you know!