Thanksgiving is a time to gather as a family and count our blessings. The one unchangeable truth about life is it can and often does change in a minute. We made plans, and God prevailed. After offering on three homes in small towns near Knoxville, TN, and having each fall through, we got the message. God wants us to stay in California. Family members are now scattered around the country – Tennessee, Alabama, Texas, Colorado and northern and central California. Instead of our daughter cooking the turkey this year, I ordered the whole dinner from a local whole-foods style grocery store. Our older son and his family were able to join us to have a nice meal and talk about our blessings, the first being FAMILY – wherever they may be.
I am also thankful for Technology! My grandmother left Switzerland at 15 and never saw her parents again. Rick’s grandma set off at 18, crossing the Atlantic in steerage, going through Ellis Island and heading for California by train. She never saw her parents again. Rick’s grandpa went to sea at ten, was a full-time sailor on windjammers at fourteen, and left a ship in San Diego. Staying in touch in those days meant writing letters. Now, we can see and talk with our loved ones via FaceTime or Zoom. We receive text messages and pictures. Our youngest son and daughter-in-law gave us another grandson in October. We received pictures from the delivery room minutes after our grandson was born.
I’m thankful for Rick, my husband of 55 years (in December) and best friend. Parkinson’s may continue to march on, but we take life as it comes, enjoying our time together. Life can be a challenge, but also an adventure.
I’m thankful for friends – old friends from grade school and high school, and newer friends from church, and friendly neighbors everywhere we’ve lived.
I’m thankful for the freedom to worship. We live in a county where fewer than 3% attend church. No one turned us in during covid while we continued our weekly home Bible study group.
I’m thankful for sunrises (God’s good morning) that wrap around the house and sunsets (God’s good night) that blaze shades of red, orange, purple, and gold across the western sky as I watch from our back fence.
There are blessings all around us, gifts from God for which to be thankful – not just one day a year, but every day. And the greatest blessing of all is a close relationship with Jesus who loves us no matter what, every day, all day and on through this earthly life into life everlasting.
Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!