Simplicity in the Lord

I recently had the opportunity to visit my parents and siblings. The whole gang has not been together in four years, and COVID has been hard on my parents as they have tried their best to isolate themselves in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, their health declined during this time. We know that these opportunities are becoming rarer, so we secretly planned a reunion.

Saturday morning, my parents met at my sister’s home for brunch and bit by bit, the three of us that live out of town showed up. I came in last and my parents were shocked to say the least.

We enjoyed catching up and reconnecting. Three of the six siblings work in healthcare and we spent some time swapping medical stories. We remarked on common themes despite living in very different parts of the country, and the amazing work that people are doing. We told stories about our families, as we ate good food. My sisters even went and got sister tattoos, such a Vegas thing to do.

We decided that we would spend one evening at my parent’s home, just the original six children, no other spouses or grandchildren. My father’s hearing loss makes visiting in large groups disorienting. We shared stories of the single-wide trailer we lived in andthe numerous cars that we went through. We laughed at our exploits as youth that we were sure our parents did not know about, but did. We also shared some of the wisdom we learned over the years.

My mother and father just sat back and watched us. They said little, but mom took some pictures and video, treasuring and preserving the memories. We shared our love for each other and One of my favorite moments was trying to take a selfie of the six kids that had us laughing so hard, I know one sister wet herself. We never actually got the picture; we ended up on the floor laughing too much.

Our family has different dynamics, as many do. I am the oldest and the alpha male, while the next child, my sister, is the alpha female. This has led to conflict, stress and at times some harsh words. She has been both a staunch supporter and critic at times which happens in families. This had not always lead to warm fuzzies when we get together. Our conversation with my siblings and parents that night turned to some of my experiences in Afghanistan and Iraq. As I shared some of these, I choked up emotionally. And this sister put her arm around me, and put her head on my shoulder as I finished my story. Funny how such a simple act melted away so many unhealthy feelings. I am thankful for and love my sister.

How many of us try to overcomplicate things? One of the Pharisees tried to trick Christ when he asked “Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love they neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and prophets” (KJV Matthew 22:36-40).

We sometimes forget that the Lord asks us first to love him, follow him and then love others. We try to complicate the word of the Lord or mix up the order and place God second but in reality, all he wants of us is just two simple things. Have we pondered our relationship with the Lord? Do we love him first or do we mix up our priorities? I often fall short, but find immense comfort in knowing that I can always return to him.

Reflecting on the love I have for my parents and siblings helps me broaden my love for others. They are not perfect but neither is anyone else. My family provides a pattern for the great joy God planned for us in this life and the hereafter. As ever, Jesus Christ gives us the perfect example of love. I find great joy in following his path.

Dr. John Boston is a father, husband, grandfather, local physician, member of the Mat-Su Board of Trustees and Colonel in the Alaska Air National Guard. He believes in Christ and is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints