I baked pies today-2 pumpkin and 3 chocolate. I baked them for my kids and grandkids. They’re traveling at this moment to my house. One family is coming from Virginia, the other from Tennessee. It is now 10:30 at night and they still have a distance to drive. Their lives are busy and they couldn’t start until late in the day. I’ve asked God to surround both vans with protective angels and bring them safely home. I’m so thankful my daughters, sons-in-law, and grandkids want to come to my house.
As I walked with Molly today and watched her racing around the fields and leaping in the air I couldn’t help but think how full of joy she must be (if indeed dogs feel joy). Joy of being free of her fenced area! I laughed at her antics and was grateful I could laugh again.
As I made the pies and ran the vacuum I thought about the many previous Thanksgivings we had shared with my parents and Wayne’s parents. I remembered the last Thanksgiving that Wayne’s dad was with us. He’d been very sick and I think he knew he wouldn’t be around for the next year. He surprised us by telling us how much he loved us and was thankful for us. That was not his normal behavior but how grateful we were to hear his expressions of love and gratitude. Since that Thanksgiving Day we’ve had to say good-bye to my mother-in-law, and my mother. I am very thankful to have my 92-year-old dad living nearby. He will join us for a meal tomorrow.
My thoughts also went back to 2014 when we thought Wayne would be spending Thanksgiving in Johns Hopkins Hospital. The girls had come to see him and then drove on to our home. They would join other family members for dinner. Wayne wanted to come home for Thanksgiving, so he was discharged late in the day and we arrived home that evening to enjoy a delicious plate of food saved just for us. So thankful for that memory of his happiness in getting to come home.
God is good and my life is filled with things for which I’m thankful. I thank Him most of all for providing a Savior and giving us the Holy Spirit to help us on our life journey. Without God we would be nothing and we’d have no hope. So thankful for hope!
“We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3).
Happy Thanksgiving Day!
Lovely, lovely. How very much our ability to see God’s Goodness in each day and memories of God’s generosity over past years eases us through tougher days. Blessings on all of your family.