As I sat down to write this post I was so aware of how busy this week has been for so many of us. There is no denying that Thanksgiving takes a lot of time and effort in preparation. Truthfully, even if we manage to do lots in advance there is still much to be done on the actual day. Additionally, it is a day that often carries considerable emotion as we think back on past holidays, and the people that gathered around our tables.
What is it about Thanksgiving that brings out the best, and sometimes the worst in people? We can all recall past celebrations that we never want to forget, and then there are the ones that we wish we could forget, but somehow we just can’t seem to let them go. This is where we must allow grace to give us what we need, because we can’t always control what people bring to the table. They come with all that seems pressing in their lives, whether good or bad, because they come to be with family. Even if that family has had some challenges, it still remains their family, and so they can’t stay away.
My table will be full of people that I love, and many that I will always love, but who will not be present this day. Either way I will be forever thankful. Thankful for the people in my life, thankful because they make my life rich, thankful for their love, and thankful because they are my family. A family that I would never trade and will forever cherish!
2 Corinthians 9:11 NIV You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.