Ohana (Family)

Ohana means family - no one gets left behind and no one is ever forgotten. - Chris Sanders

I’m starting 2019 with a study of Proverbs.  As Boyd Bailey says, “Wisdom is what every God-fearing person wants. The Lord has put in the heart of His disciples a desire to live with His perspective.”  For my study, I’m using The Navigators’ LifeChange Series: A life-changing encounter with God’s Word from the book of Proverbs and Boyd Bailey’s Two Minutes in the Bible Through Proverbs.

January’s Blog focus is on “Family.”  Solomon knew that God designed the family and that each member has certain responsibilities to help it run smoothly.  Solomon urged husbands and wives, parents and children, to govern their relationships according to wisdom.

I like Chris Sanders’ quote above—he was best known for co-writing and directing Disney’s Lilo & Stitch in 2002.  We loved that movie and still recall Stitch’s words, “Ohana means family.”

This coming weekend, we’ll celebrate the life of my grandmother, Mano (click here for my tribute to her).  With her passing, my family roles no longer include “Grandson”; now, I’m a Son, Brother, Husband, and Father.

Click here for Proverbs on all four of those roles.

2019: A Year for “Wisdom”

Left to Right: Kim Smith (Sister-in-Law); Bill Bates (NASA Mentor & Friend); and Margarete Pyle (My “Mano”, Grandmother)

December 2018 was filled with life celebrations of three big influencers on my life.  First, my sister-in-law, Kim Smith, passed away at 55 years young.  We celebrated her life at First Baptist Church in Lamesa, Texas on December 9.  Kim impacted her sphere of influence through her positive attitude, her smile, her laugh, and kind words to those around her.  Following her passing, we learned how she impacted many in the community by visiting with them on her walks across town.

My long-time mentor and friend, Bill Bates, passed at the age of 73 following a 2-year battle with leukemia.  He took me under his wing at NASA and passed on some critical advice that helped me improve at work.  Following his retirement, we continued to meet for lunch and catch up with one another.  I always appreciated his encouragement support and will miss our time together.

Finally, we learned that my 93 year-old grandmother passed away on December 28.  She lived much longer than anyone could have expected (see my post from more than two and a half years ago when I described her perseverance as a 90 year-old, who survived the combination of a broken back and pneumonia!).  We are thankful Mano is finally at rest and peace now!

With these three influencers gone from my life in 2019, my one word focus is “Wisdom.”  Following Solomon’s example from 1 Kings 3:9 when he responded to God’s offer of anything he wanted, “Give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong.”  Solomon sought wisdom, and I know I need the same to succeed as a husband, father, and leader at work and church.

My 2019 Bible Study will focus on the wisdom of Proverbs.  May my legacy be the same as Kim, Bill, and Mano, who each heard from God, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Click here for the Top 10 Bible Verses on Wisdom