Generations, holidays, family and God

Much will be written about this time of frenzied activity between Thanksgiving and Christmas aka 'the Holidays'.  I'm sure I will be guilty of adding to the din.

And yet, it is a time of generations, probably the most cross generational events in our current culture.  It is a time of getting together - with extended family or with your extended family of friends.  It never goes completely right.  Someone has a meltdown.  Someone spills juice on the rug.  At least one dish is over or under cooked.

And yet, we gather together.  Even those of us with seriously unfriendly families try again to find a place where wisdom can be shared and each person can find a place where they truly belong. We seek again a place where we can plant our feet, feel solid ground under us, find safety in an increasingly unsafe world.  Even if we don't experience any of those things, we will try again next year, lamenting this year's failure to provide the sustenance we need.

The Bible was very concerned about generations (all those begats).  Part of it was to show lineage, but the other part was to demonstrate, with names and dates, that life is passed from one to the other.  God generates again and again in God's world.

So, how are we a part of these acts of generations?  If we think about belonging, having solid ground, feeling safe.....how do we live out our faith during these next 5 weeks of holiday craziness?  How do we grow spiritually....and help others to grow as well?