6 Cycles of Family Till death do we part

6 Cycles of Family

Till death do we part

When Sandy and I said our vows on March 4, 1972,

the promise, “Till death do we part” did not seem real,

or at least too far in the future to matter.

It wasn’t till Sandy was diagnosed with cancer in 2003

that the vow of till death do us part became a reality.

I remember lying in bed and feeling the lump.

When my mind had slowed down for the day, I came

face to face with the reality Sandy could die before her time.

I thought of the joy she had given me.

I thought of being the only living parent of my children.

I thought of being alone.

The dreams for our lives and the past memories

only brought pain to my present reality.

Night after night I cried hoping Sandy would not know.

It was at this season I realized if Sandy were to die…

“It would leave a hole in me so big there would be nothing left.”

  As we spent the next year going through Chemo, Radiation and

surgeries I realized that I married Sandy to be with her no matter what.

The test of our vow in sickness and in health came as a big surprise.

Being with her in sickness in some ways was glorious because

there was an incredible bond unlike anything we experienced before.

A few years later Sandy was diagnosed with a brain tumor.

Again the reality of death separating us became too real.

I did not realize as we stood at the altar in 1972 the vow to…

“Love and to cherish”

Would be perfected more through the hardships of our lives.

The 6 Cycles of Family Cycle are to be a

great experience for the whole family.

That does not mean there will not be hard times.

It is in those times that love never fails…

  Faith, Hope and Love remain.

All the earthly treasures you can store up for retirement

will never be as valuable as Faith, Hope and Love.

Whatever you do finish strong.

  

He that endures to the end will be saved.

How will you complete your Cycle of Family?

What will your children gain from your life and example?

There are 6 cycles for a family to navigate 

“Cycles of family life”

The marriage

Bearing children

Raising children

The empty nest / launching new family

The declining years

Death in the marriage

Family cycles should be a great experience for the whole family

Scripture Reading

1 Corinthians 13:4-13 NIV

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails…      13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Matthew 10:22-23 NIV

he who stands firm to the end will be saved.