1 . For most people, the longest relationship they will have is with their sibling（兄弟姐妹）. It’s a shame, then, that we can’t choose them. As children, my younger sister and I were always _________with each other. I was jealous of her looks and she felt threatened by my academic success. But our rivalry（竞争）was _________compared to that of some famous siblings.

Take 1940s movie stars Olivia de Havilland and Joan Fontaine. The competitive relationship between these sisters is the stuff of Hollywood legend. “I married first, won the Oscar before Olivia did. And if I die first, she will ___________be angry because I beat her to it,” Joan wrote in her autobiography. Their rivalry became very _________in 1946 when Olivia won an Oscar. Joan was asked to present the award but Olivia refused to even shake her hand. “They just don’t have much in common,”, commented on person at the time.

But it’s not just in _________business where siblings fall out. Entrepreneurs Rudolf and Adolf Dassler started making sports shoes in the small German town of Herzogenaurach in the 1920s. Their factory south of the river became very successful but they were always very _________. Adolf, or Adi, was a quiet craftsman while Rudolf was “a loud-mouthed salesman”. _______in 1948, the brothers fell out permanently. Rudolf moved across the river and set up a rival sports-shoe company, which he called Puma. _________, Adi used the first letters of his name and surname to create his brand—Adidas.

The brothers never spoke to each other again and their rivalry _______the town. The residents wore either Adidas or Puma and would sometimes refuse to __________each other. It became a place where you always looked at the ____________someone was wearing before starting a conversation. The brothers died in the 1970s and were buried in the same cemetery—at opposite ends.

But not all successful siblings ________each other. Top tennis players Serena and Venus Williams have played each other in over 20 major tennis tournament finals, but have always remained the best friends. They played doubles together, lived together, and even had breakfast before these big matches.’ We leave everything on the ________.’ Serena once said. ‘We’re sisters the moment we shake hands at the net.’

So, now that we are adults, have my sister and i learnt to be more like the William sisters and less like the Gallaghers? Well, I’d love to say “Yes” but the __________answer is “not always”. I still hate seeing photos of us together because I still feel inferior to her. But our rivalry is not as bad as it used to be, and if I feel really jealous, I remind myself: __________fades but a sister is for life!

2 . The scars of love

Some years ago on a hot summer day in south Florida a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house. In a hurry to dive into the ____ water, he ran out of the back door, ____ behind shoes, socks, and shirt as he went.

He flew into the water, not realizing that as he ____ toward the middle of the lake, a crocodile was swimming toward him. His mother in the house was ___ the window and saw the two. In great ____, she ran toward the water, shouting to her son as ___ as she could. Hearing her loud voice, the little boy became ____ and made a U-turn to swim to his mother. It was too late. Just as he reached her, the crocodile reached him. From the ____, the mother grabbed her little boy by the arms just as the crocodile snatched his legs. That began an incredible tug-of-war between the two. The crocodile was much ____ than the mother, but the mother was much too passionate to let go. A farmer happened to drive by, heard their screams, raced from his truck, took aim and ____ the crocodile.

Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived. His legs were extremely scarred by the ____ of the animal. And, on his arms, were deep scratches where his mother’s fingernails dug into his flesh in her effort to ____ to the son she loved.

The newspaper reporter, who interviewed the boy, asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his legs. And then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter, ‘But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them ____ my Mom wouldn’t let go.’

You and I can identify with that little boy. We have scars, too. No, not from a crocodile, or anything quite so ____. But, the scars of a painful past. Some of those scars are unsightly and have caused us deep regret. But, some wounds, my friend, are because God has refused to ____. In the midst of your struggle, he’s been there holding on to you.