Family names can be a little quirky. (Maybe because families can be quirky?)
My father-in-law used to confuse people by telling them about the lady who was once his sister-in-law but became his niece.
For a hilariously ridiculous song about strange family relations, listen to “I’m My Own Grandpa” sung by Ray Stevens.
As for me, I’ve had an “Aunt Sister” my whole life. I’m sure our family is not the only family ever to have such an arrangement, but I’ve never personally met anyone else.
On April 22, 1935 identical twin girls were born to Pete and Jewel Pollard. Those twins, Shirlene and Geralene grew up calling each other “Sister.” In their youth, they often dressed alike. So between their identical looks, identical dress, and calling each other “Sister” instead of their given names, they could mess with people if they wanted to.
My siblings and I call Shirlene “Aunt Sister. (Those of you who are really astute have deduced that Geralene is my mom).
Shirlene’s kids call my mom “Aunt Sister.”
You can imagine the confusion that any non-family members have experienced on the rare occasions that we’ve all been together.
Mom and Aunt Sister have been best friends since the womb and have remained so for their 87 years on planet earth. They’ve laughed and cried together in person and on the phone through all of life’s experiences—kids, grandkids, illnesses, weddings, divorces, deaths of parents, deaths of husbands.
They’ve been the constant in each other’s lives for over 87 years.
They’ve also had a running competition for years. Mom told me that the first question Aunt Sister asks when they talk on the phone is, “How much do you weigh?”
When Mom went with us on a cruise to Norway in May of this year, she told me that she might have to wait until she lost her “cruise weight” before their next phone call. She really doesn’t care how much she weighs as long as it is at least one pound less than Aunt Sister!
Just over two weeks ago, on October 8, they spent their last 11 hours together as Mom sat by Aunt Sister’s bed and held her hand as she won the race to heaven.
This coming Saturday, our family will gather and celebrate Aunt Sister’s life. I’ll preach. My brother and I will sing. We’ll share some stories and laugh and cry.
And we’ll still be quirky.
Part of the amazing journey that God has for each of us is that we each have our own unique story (quirkiness included). Your story may not include an “Aunt Sister” or a set of identical twins, but there’s something in your story that makes it unlike anyone else’s.
One way of being amazing is to find God in your story—both in your past and in your present. This morning I read 2 Peter 1:12
“Therefore, I will always remind you about these things—even though you already know them and are standing firm in the truth you have been taught.”
That’s one of the reasons I write a “Be Amazing” post every week. You probably haven’t learned anything from me about life that you didn’t already know.
I just don’t want you ever to forget to be amazing, my friend.
