The Difference Between Family and Family

I'm sure there are at least a few other people who go to Elevation who would agree with what I'm about to blog about.

Why does it seem like it's so much harder for our own actual family to show us love than it is for our "family" of Elevators and friends?

I know my family loves me, but a lot of times I feel like they show me love and do things for me out of obligation rather than pure love or compassion. Example: I think this weekend was one of the most stressful I've seen at Elevation since I've been here. Actually, it wasn't really stressful for me, but everyone around me was pretty much freaking out. But the stress that we experience together from putting on a production like Winter Blast or Christmas in Sarsparilla City or whatevertheheckit'scalled doesn't tear us apart. In fact, at the end of the day, I think we're all just glad that these are the people we have to be stressed with because at this point we know each other well enough to deal with it and move on rather than kill each other.

This weekend my car broke down halfway between Greenville and Charlotte. My mom picked me up and took me to Charlotte so I could be up there for sunday, and that meant such a great deal to me but I could tell she was super frustrated by it. As soon as I got to Charlotte, to Jeremy's house, I was reminded that my family extends far beyond my parents and my brother. I spent the weekend between apartments and in more than few cars, trying to get to where I needed to go. Not once did I hear anyone I was with complain or grumble about having to drag me around all weekend. And though it was pretty stressful to go through the weekend not knowing how I was going to get 2 hours south by today, I'm realizing that God is continually teaching me to lean on Him. Three people offered to get me at least halfway there, and I know there are others who would have taken me if I had absolutely no other way. There are times where I feel like a huge inconvenience and a shadow to my family at Elevation, but I've never been stranded or temporarily homeless or hungry, and I've never had any of them roll their eyes when I need something (or when any of us need something, for that matter). So why is it that my actual family at home has a seriously problem helping me out. I don't understand how I can be around them for less than an hour and feel like a huge inconvenience. I feel like it's so much trouble to help me out.

This weekend showed me that in the past couple weeks God has seriously been teaching me how to lean on Him, and He's been reinforcing my love of the people in my life as resources. My family at Elevation has so many personalities combined into one loving, selfless, compassionate body of people. So while coming home can get really frustrating really quickly, I'm always comforted by the fact that 2 hours north I have a huge family willing to put their comfort on the line for me.


On an unrelated note: I do NOT enjoy Christmas anymore. I am in love with the story of the birth, life and death of Jesus. I am in love with my salvation and the fact that God gave up everything in Himself and His son so that we, while still completely unworthy, would be saved and made clean. I can't get enough of that. But the actual Christmas day of December 25th means nothing to me, and I'm not looking forward to opening presents tomorrow morning at ALL. It makes me feel selfish. But uh...merry Christmas?