Ping Pong

When the ping pong table talk started, I was concerned. It seems that our house has enough competition, and it would be just one more thing that would cause easy fights. I knew it would be fun but I was worried about sore losers or arrogant winners, and was really curious as to what would happen.

I couldn't have been more wrong.


One of the things we always talked about as a benefit of me living with the Raads was the example they were setting for me. I was getting to learn how a family functions in a healthy way. Every home has its own flaws, its strengths and weaknesses. I have gotten to see examples of lenience, instruction, direction, mercy, discipline, grace, forgiveness, and most of all, and most importantly, love. The love of a protective father and a compassionate mother, the love of a sister for her little brother, and a little boy for his mom. But not only have I been blessed with the example of a loving family between the kids and the parents, but between the parents themselves.

For some reason more recently I've really been able to see Tim and Brandie for the couple that they are. I always dreamed of falling in love and marrying my high school sweetheart, and they've been living that for 17 years now.

Watching Tim and Brandie play ping pong made my heart swell. I could imagine them as kids my age playing for hours, just spending time together and enjoying it. It was like they dropped 20 years in my mind, and I could see the love that they have for each other, then and still now.


I have been so blessed to become part of this family that is such a great example for me, but even more importantly I have been blessed to have an example of a successful and loving relationship. Living in a world full of broken homes and broken hearts, I find it too easy to lose faith in relationships and people. Not only have they helped me learn how to function in relationships in a much healthier manner, but they've given me hope for my own life.