Thursday, November 6, 2008

In the Trunk

Whats your job when you have to get a long with people you're not sure you like.

Relationships are like driving a car. When it comes to friends, you're usually in the driver's seat. Within limits, you can pick your friends. With peopl around you at school or on a team, you get some choice. That's like being a back seat driver. But when its comes to family, you don't get any control. You're all stuffed in the trunk together, like it or not.

Still, you help determine whether the trunk is cozy or crunched. Any family will get cramped at times, but you can at least control whether it's you that's elbowing, shoving , and kicking everyone else. You can choose not to bang on the inside of the trunk or drill in the gas tank and drop a match. YOU CAN'T CONTROL WHO'S IN THE TRUNK, when it comes to family. You can control your friendships, YOU CAN CONTROL YOURSELF!

Romans 12:18
It it is possible, as far as it depends on you , live at peace with everyone.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks Chad
James (who has thrown off the suppressive title of: anonymous)!

lsprkr said...

I have 10+ people in my family and we all have our own opinions about how things should be done and usually we don't agree with each another. Okay, we hardly ever agree. So my trunk can get VERY crowded and squished. I still have bruises from family members who felt the need to kick and shove. Honestly, there have been times when I have fought back and landed a few good blows myself and I’m not proud about that. I’ve had to go back and ask for forgiveness And I have to be willing to forgive them. It’s not easy to do, especially with family members, but as Romans 12:18 says, we are to live at peace with everyone.

-lisa

Anonymous said...

I'm guilty for sometimes making the trunk pretty cramped. I have a big family and its half of its step so in that sense sometimes its harder to get along with them because they are my biological family. Mostly to avoid fighting between the steps I keep my anger at bay and just simply dont tell my opinions on our disagreement. Maybe thats bad and maybe it isnt but it does decrease the amount of tension in the house. As for my real brother and sister...well, thats a different story.
We were just born to fight, but we always kiss and make up in two hours anyways!

Anonymous said...

Mostly in my family its fight or get pushed over. I live with a step sister and brother. My step sister has two kids, one two and the other six. My step mom and my dad. Then my brother and sister.
So to say the least its hectic around here. Living with steps though is a totally different concept than biological relatives. Its either 'she treats her son better' or 'my own mother likes him more than me' or something crazy like that. Personally, I just try see both sides when the family starts fighting. By doing that, its more like I'm the moderator and I think it helps in a house this big.
I bring both sides to logic and eventually within a week all the tension is almost gone.
I figure if I cant choose whos going to be in the trunk then I should just make it as comfortable a ride as I can.
Where we are going, I dont know. I just pray it doesnt involve spiders and/or knives. Anything else, I can lean on Christ for.

Anonymous said...

I kind of make the trunk cramped and to be honest, my anger towards my brother leads me to the point where I want to drill a whole in the gas tank and light a match. But deep down I really do love him! I promise ;) I find that it helps, whenever that trunk gets to crowded and everyone is kicking and struggling, I go for a walk around the block. It blows off steam and it gives you a chance to get away and be alone with God. And he is the best person to turn to in those situations.