Day 67 Thanksgiving 2012

Day 67 - Thanksgiving - 2012

 Sitting up at a Soccer Field on Thanksgiving morning. A grandson has a Thanksgiving Day touch football game. At home, a million chores beckon to get ready for company. The buckets, cleaning solutions, mops, brooms, rags, squeegies are ready and I'm thankful my strength (after the bout with the flu), is returning, I'm going to need it.

  We've switched our Thanksgiving Day to accommodate family in-law celebrations. It's not that bad really, I took a vacation day tomorrow and having the four days in the row is really a blessing so it all worked out. Before, family members would try to do everyone's Thanksgiving feasts and tired children, stuffed parents would valiantly try to eat yet one more Thanksgiving dinner, eyes glazing over at the sight of yet more turkey. So this year I decided, "Why not take the celebrations and spread them out over two days?" Good idea.

Watching the young people brave the cold and wet and valiantly go out on the field I smile. Youth, manhood, a rite of passage to do something with friends to celebrate life, and the joy of living.

Sitting here, some twelve miles away from my home, I mentally go through the rooms thinking of this or that job that needs to be done. The house is old, but large. The cupboards are worn but full. Dying from cancer some forty years ago, my father cautioned me to try to see the glass half full, not half empty. HGTV'ed I can't help but have twinges of wanting a home-makeover before people arrive tomorrow for dinner, all the while realizing that I need to accept I have a modest home, and a modest income and learn to continually be thankful I have a home and not compare myself to the Jones's who coincidentally live across the street.

Most of life is like that anyway. From early age each of us is conditioned to see who gets the best spelling scores, who is makes the most baskets in basketball; who has the best clothes; nicest car.....and so it goes. The comparison game can send us on artificial highs or lows depending on what and with whom we're comparing ourselves with. Finding a sense of wholeness, of self-acceptance for many of us, myself included, involves a spiritual journey where appropriating God's grace and strength, covers a multitude of sin, and imperfections. By the grace of God, I'm not who I was, and with His help I will become a better person tomorrow, it is a continual journey.

I realize now, maybe a better plan for this a.m. would have been to walk around while the kids play football, but I threw a coat over pj's and put flip-flops on for shoes. I'm hardly prepared for a brisk late November morning walk. So here I sit, admiring the view of trees and hills and clouds greeting 2012's Thanksgiving Day.

Black Friday looms ahead and I say hello and goodbye to it all at once. This year I will not be spending any money. I must admit, one sale beckons, but other bills with not so friendly messages nip my shopping urges in the bud. It's ok. Becoming content with such things as I have is part of a good trend towards letting go of the materialism that has admittedly colored my Christian life with tinges of buy more, use more, go more. Paul said, "Having food and clothes learn to be content."

Well, many of you are by now, basting Turkey's, fluffing couch pillows, checking football game times, and getting ready for a day of feasting. Since this blog is read around the world, I realize that some people won't be celebrating, but will be about their days duties. Making the best of things. The will to survive is strong, amid wars and rumors of war the only anchor which will hold steady through these times is faith in God. Seek His face wherever you are, and cultivate a spirit of Thankfulness. Take Care.

Update- tomorrow now, the turkey is getting ready to go into my oven. The pumpkin pies are waiting also. The gentle rains patter down on the trees outside my window. My front yard has a splattering of orange and yellow leaves still hanging on valiantly to the flowering cherry trees, a little reluctant to let go of their brilliant fall plumage. This morning, I woke up so happy to not be afraid. To feel peaceful. What a treasure beyond price! There have been times I've been afraid in my life and that fear has been horrible. These moments, precious, I will hug to me like a warm woolen sweater, to block out the cold of days to come when perhaps we Americans will face what others around the world face today, war.

To each of you in your world, peace. Remember God hears and answers prayer. Real peace only comes from God. Take care and keep looking up!