It’s almost National Sister’s Day! If you have a sister that you really appreciate – it could even be a special sister in the Lord – celebrate her this coming Sunday.
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and I’m celebrating my sisters.
This coming Sunday is National Sister’s Day, and I am sending all three of my sisters a card, letting them know how much they’ve meant in my life. Linda and Jay and Kathy are all older than I am, and traveling isn’t as easy for any of us and so, I don’t get to see my wonderful siblings as often as I would like but, oh, the Lord has been so good to give me these three women. We share a unique bond; so many things in common. Growing up on the Maryland farm, we all joined 4H Club. We all raised pigs and calves and even sheep. We all joined the Girl Scouts. Two of us took piano lessons, three of us ballet lessons. And because our mother loved to play tennis, we all learned how to place the ball across the net. We lived not far from a big pond and every winter we would ice skate together; there was always a fire burning not far from the ice where we could warm our hands. And to this day, when Linda, Jay, Kathy and I get together, we talk about those sweet, precious memories. And how my oldest sister Linda looked really funny in a ballet tutu [oh my goodness she really did].
But the real reason I am celebrating my sisters today is for the way each of them chipped in when I broke my neck at the age of 17. That’s when the sisterly bond between us was put to the test. And I couldn’t believe how they all came through for me. My older sisters had to bend and flex for their younger sibling, but I never recall them complaining. When I was in the hospital, they all were happy to take shifts helping out. I looked forward to Saturday mornings because that’s when Kathy would come with a bag of donuts, and we would watch the Bugs Bunny Comedy Hour [what can I say, we were teenagers, we loved Saturday morning TV with Lassie, Sky King and My Friend Flicka]. Jay K my sister, older sister, worked in a downtown hospital in Baltimore, and she would always come by after work with magazines, nail polish, books, other surprises. Linda brought in a family photo album. In fact, she started one for me while I was in the hospital. Simple things that sisters do, but their presence meant the world.
And it still means the world. When I reflect on the bond of love that I share with my older siblings, I think of Isaiah 58. Apparently in Isaiah’s day, God’s people were saying that they cared about their families, but their hearts really weren’t in it. They didn’t even care for their own parents who were struggling. But in Isaiah 58, God says how important it is to take care of close, loved ones in need. God says, “Is this not the kind of fasting I choose? To not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?” I look back and I thank God for sisters who did not turn their backs on me, their own flesh and blood.
So, if you have a sister that you really appreciate – it could even be a special sister in the Lord – celebrate her this coming Sunday. Make a call, jot a text, send an email. If you can FaceTime her, do so and let her see your smile. Oh, and before we go, I’ve posted a whole bunch of fun photos of my sisters on joniradio.org – there’s one of me and Kathy as kids hanging ornaments on our Christmas tree. Another photo shows us girls and our cousins and, oh, can you see the family resemblance! Anyway, what can I say – I’m showing off my awesome sisters at joniradio.org. Again, celebrate sisterhood at joniradio.org and take a look at our smiles. You know what friend, thanks so much for letting me share my heart with you today and feel to share this program with your friends and visit joniradio.org.
© Joni and Friends