Thanksgiving
This year there were 34 people at our home for Thanksgiving dinner. Since we are too far away to spend the holiday with our own family in California we invite members of our church family to share the day together with us. Every generation was present and accounted for from seniors to babies. Between the rain showers the children blew bubbles, drew chalk pictures on our driveway and set up a beauty salon on the front porch. Most of the adults were too stuffed to move out of the house so card games kept everyone busy and laughing. JJ proved to be an addict for UNO. She kept Ryan busy in the back room long after the others had quit and gone home.
Only a small amount of meat was left from our 21 pound turkey. I finished it off today for lunch along with stuffing and cranberry sauce.
I can't say that I really like being in the middle of a crowd of people, but having an empty house would be far less appealing for a holiday such as Thanksgiving. On the other hand having to walk sideways to squeeze across from one room to another has become almost a sacred ritual as it stirs up so many memories of crowded family holiday gatherings in years past.
As I told several of our friends, I'm glad they all came. And I'll be glad when they have all gone back to their own homes, too. They all understood what I meant by that. Now the house is quiet. I have talked to middle daughter Emily, en route back to Seattle Pacific University after spending the holiday with my mother, brother (& wife), sister (& husband), aunt, uncle, nephews, two niece-in-laws, one grandniece and one grand nephew. Emily enjoyed getting to hold little Lizzie for the first time, something the rest of her Hawaii family hasn't been able to do yet.
Sunday is tomorrow and Advent begins. Christmas is on the way. In the evening our church will decorate the Worship Center together as we sing carols and "get into the Christmas spirit." I don't know if God really cares all that much about our celebration of Christmas each year. But I am convinced that it is good for us to remember the One who came to live and die and live again for us. We must not forget. The world would like to keep Christmas and get rid of Jesus in the same way that they are expunging him from American and world history. By themselves the glitz and glitter and even the Thanksgiving turkey are shallow and empty; each in their own way becoming an empty carcass by the time the season has past.
With Jesus the joy of the season never passes away. He is here. He is yesterday, today and forever. He is family and friends and celebration that never ends. Apart from him there would be no thanks at all. Except, perhaps, for my wife, Jeanine, who took on a difficult challenge and, as always, made it look easy.
Only a small amount of meat was left from our 21 pound turkey. I finished it off today for lunch along with stuffing and cranberry sauce.
I can't say that I really like being in the middle of a crowd of people, but having an empty house would be far less appealing for a holiday such as Thanksgiving. On the other hand having to walk sideways to squeeze across from one room to another has become almost a sacred ritual as it stirs up so many memories of crowded family holiday gatherings in years past.
As I told several of our friends, I'm glad they all came. And I'll be glad when they have all gone back to their own homes, too. They all understood what I meant by that. Now the house is quiet. I have talked to middle daughter Emily, en route back to Seattle Pacific University after spending the holiday with my mother, brother (& wife), sister (& husband), aunt, uncle, nephews, two niece-in-laws, one grandniece and one grand nephew. Emily enjoyed getting to hold little Lizzie for the first time, something the rest of her Hawaii family hasn't been able to do yet.
Sunday is tomorrow and Advent begins. Christmas is on the way. In the evening our church will decorate the Worship Center together as we sing carols and "get into the Christmas spirit." I don't know if God really cares all that much about our celebration of Christmas each year. But I am convinced that it is good for us to remember the One who came to live and die and live again for us. We must not forget. The world would like to keep Christmas and get rid of Jesus in the same way that they are expunging him from American and world history. By themselves the glitz and glitter and even the Thanksgiving turkey are shallow and empty; each in their own way becoming an empty carcass by the time the season has past.
With Jesus the joy of the season never passes away. He is here. He is yesterday, today and forever. He is family and friends and celebration that never ends. Apart from him there would be no thanks at all. Except, perhaps, for my wife, Jeanine, who took on a difficult challenge and, as always, made it look easy.
posted by Bird of Paradise at 1:16 PM
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