My Family Culture

The assignment is to pick three things that I would take with me if I had to move to another country involuntarily.   I have no input of where I am going, just that their culture is completely different from mine.  Other than one change of clothes, I must take only three small things to represent my family culture.

The three things I would take are my Bible, a charm necklace with charms representing things that I love most about my life, and family pictures.

My Bible means the most to me.  It gives me a sense of security when I read and get lost in the scripture, I know that God is with me.  He has his hand on me and will get me through anything that the world can throw at me.  He is my comfort and my shield.  Isaiah 41:10 says “Fear not, for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My right hand of rightness and justice.”

My charm necklace has very tiny charms inside the circle.  The plate inside says “Inspire,” I try very hard to set a good example and be a light for other people, even when things are not going well with me.  I have a small boy with my son’s birthstone (topaz), a sea turtle (because we love watching them when we go out fishing in Florida), a sand dollar (because we love looking for sea shells), a microphone (I love to sing at church), a wedding ring (for my husband), a dog paw (for our two girls), a beautiful red heart with mom inside (my son, Max, picked it out), a swimmer (love it!), an orange stone (my favorite color), and a small plaque with faith inside (reminding me to never give up).

Family pictures are very important to every family.  They remind us of those we lost and where we came from.  They remind us of good times past and how skinny we used to be.  We have our memories and our feelings, but pictures can trigger more of what we have forgotten and remind us of great and not so great beginnings and ending.

I cannot begin to imagine my feelings of having to give any one of these things up.  I believe that I would feel devastated.  To have to give up everything you own, even your home would be unimaginable.  Any yet, I would think that so many people must do that every day in war torn countries.

I have realized that I am not as materialistic as I thought I was.  I know that our family is extremely close knit and my son means the world to me.  It would be harder to be asked to give him up than any personal item representing my family culture.