Thanksgiving 2020

Awwww family!

It’s Thanksgiving. I’m forever thankful for each one of you—my beautiful children, and yours. It’s so strange not to gather in the same time and space with you. It’s so unnatural to be away from you. It’s not the way we planned it.

We’ll be sharing thanks, though—thanks that through it all, in God’s providence we will be together again, that hope will be realized, thanks that we have a warm place to lay our heads and plenty of food to satisfy, that we have ways to connect unknown to those from whom we came, memories of their sweet legacies, that we have music and dance, that we have forgiveness of hurts and reunion of hearts,  that we have clean water to quench our thirst and warm water to wash our bodies and dishes and clean our clothes, that we have clothing for work, for play, for sleep, for celebration, for beauty and comfort, that we have ways to get places—cars and trains and planes and our own two legs, That we have not only sustenance—but a feast before us, with dessert, too. That we have “easy” ways to keep and cook the bounty of the harvest, that we have art and beauty and song to salve the distance between, that we have health and strength for another day, that your Dad and I have children who love us, and that we have children we love more, and that we have grandchildren who delight our days and bring a million smiles, thankful and deeply  humbled that we’re “safe” in this moment from the ravages of a pandemic that’s shattered the lives of more than we can number, thankful a vaccine is coming, thankful that we have a generous God who loves us all as the “apple of his eye” and forever, no matter what, holds us in His heart.

We’re thankful for those you’ve brought into our lives. From childhood onward, you brought friends into our lives who became ours, too, who we love. You’ve made our world bigger—and smaller. You’ve brought us close to many, reminding us that we are “one.” Thank YOU. YOU are God’s promise that the world should go on. 

How I miss hugging you, feeling skin touching skin! How I miss hearing your laughter, wiping your tears, sitting together in silence, seeing you bound up the walk and throw open the door, How I miss smelling the fragrance of your hair, looking into your eyes and touching your soul as you touch mine, how I miss cooking and creating in the kitchen, feasting at the table, swapping stories, and savoring time together. I'm "homesick" for you, even as we  shelter in "at home" so we can be together again. And so much more..... 

Wow! Yes WOW! I’m teary-eyed just thinking about it. Yet I’m thankful,  so very thankful for the privilege of missing you—the privilege of holding precious memories that evoke the longing to be together again—that we have hope of Thanksgiving to come, That we are bound by love. That you love each other—the best gift you’ve ever given your Dad and me.

Now, be safe—and have FUN! 

Zooming soon—and Happy Thanksgiving!   xoxo

                                                                                                                  Mom   xoxo