Christmas: Family Blessings!

Over the years, I have often said, “It was Monique’s idea to have a large family!” As she would explain it, this vision for family began to emerge when she was a little girl taking care of her many play baby dolls! Truth can now be told that after meeting and falling in love with her, I was totally unaware of her dream to build this family that now numbers twenty-one counting mom, dad, four children, spouses, and twelve grandchildren. I was naïve about how this vision would play out in our marriage and in the making of our home! I have told her, “All I ever wanted was you!” And she quickly responds, “All I ever wanted was you and all of them too!” We have been saying this to each for what will soon be fifty years this coming June!

"The stockings are hung
by the chimney with care!"

I was thinking this week about the blessing of our four children. Our oldest has been involved in the politics of persuasion most of his life! He excelled in school, was a champion speller, knew all about Texas history, became a school presenter, and now helps us keep the information and entertainment of all things political in perspective! His brother, our middle child, is quite the opposite. Rather than talk about things, he creates and computes images as a graphic designer and front-end programmer. He has many awards in his portfolio for print and digital designing. Some of his work has been on display in our nation’s Capital.

Then there were the two “little surprises” that God added to our family. Yes, the twin daughters that doubled our blessing at the same time! I remember saying when asked to sit down after Monique had come back from the doctor with news to share, “Don’t tell me we're having twins!” She replied, “Ok! I won’t!” In shock, I couldn’t begin at that moment to calculate the absolute joy I would feel holding the hands of those pretty little darlings during a Sunday after-church walk around the block! Wowzers, that will bless a dad! The girls followed their mother’s passion for education and for having an equally large family. Both ended up teaching and both have given us four grandchildren each! And the blessing continues!

In short, these kids have blessed us and made us “famous!” literally and figuratively. In spite of some modest accomplishments professionally and personally, Mimi and Poppi are known more for being the parents of Matt, Marc, Michelle and Melissa than for any other reason! If the kids have given us some notoriety, we expect the grands may make us even more “famous!” Now, I warn you again that I am a doting grandparent!

The Bible speaks of how God has "set us in families" (Psalm 68:6). He took a wilderness and wandering people and gave them a home in the land of Canaan. They became the family of God in that setting. He blesses us today with all types of families that make households a home! The Bible also refers to the blessing of a large family as having a "quiver full of arrows" (Ps. 127:3-5). When I gaze at our fireplace this season and see how adorned it is with all those stockings hanging above it, I know what it means to have a quiver full of blessed loved ones surrounding me at this Christmas time. I also thank God that He included me in the blessings of Monique’s vision for this large family of loved ones!😉

As you gather together in this season, and look into the precious faces of those you love, thank God from whom all blessings flow!

Mike Keppler, retired pastor,

active churchman and
doting grandparent. 

Contact: drmjkeppler@gmail.com