Thankful…

Reflecting on my past Thanksgiving traditions and a recent conversation with my mother made me reflect on the importance of thankfulness.  

My favorite secular holiday is only days away … Thanksgiving. When I would ask my students about their favorite holiday, I’d be disappointed that few picked Thanksgiving. Let me tell you why this holiday is so special to me.

Tradition

As a teen, my paternal grandmother started a tradition that survives to this day. In the 1960s she chose a spot central to most of us for a Thanksgiving family reunion.

It was a park in East Texas, where old photos show family members young and old enjoying each other’s company, sharing paddle boats on the lake and chowing down on unending platters of food that had been made with tender, loving care by our seasoned patriarchs. This spread included turkey, corn bread dressing, orange and cranberry salad, cantaloupe, sliced tomatoes, green beans with small new potatoes, sweet potatoes, apricot jam, corn bread, pecan pie, sweet potato candy, pumpkin pie, and on and on.

Another family tradition was to share something we were thankful for. It was and is a humbling way to start the physical feast—to acknowledge the tremendous blessings we share from year to year.

This was the first of many. The location changed from year to year, but since we all lived in Texas we easily made plans from one reunion to the next. Due to circumstances, not everyone could show up every year, but we always had great attendance.

This tradition kept our family close; and with each passing year, we appreciated each other more and more.

Today

As my family planned for this year’s reunion, my mother made a very telling comment. We had returned from a visit to her orthopedic doctor when she casually said, “We need to thank God every day for our mobility.” Over the past several years she has lost her mobility due to some very unkind health issues.

Had I ever thought of thanking God for my mobility? No!

If you knew my mother five years ago and could see her now, you would instantly understand where she was coming from.

Mom was involved in everything—being a help to her husband (my dad), raising three children, creating a warm home for our family to grow in, gardening (food and flowers), canning and freezing, sewing our clothes and other items, painting (acrylic, oil, and watercolor), embroidering, crocheting, singing (both solo and in choirs) at church and other events, babysitting, being a beautician, serving as a midwife, being a dorm mom or cook at camp, floral arranging, playing the piano and organ, being there when anyone needed anything.

Now, shaking with Parkinson’s, left leg drawn inward with neuropathy so that walking is nearly impossible without help, stooped with arthritis and osteoporosis, my mother must have constant care and assistance to take care of normal daily tasks and to prevent falls. The list of her abilities at this time is greatly reduced due to her lack of mobility.

Thankfulness in God’s Word

As we approach Thanksgiving, let’s consider this Christian trait God wants as a part of our character:

• Colossians 3:12-17: “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (emphasis added).
• 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (emphasis added).

A deeper lesson

Without mobility, life is really tough. We take many of our essential abilities for granted and never give them a second thought. Perhaps this Thanksgiving we should dig a little deeper, consider some of those and give thanks.

Have a thankful Thanksgiving!

For further insight, read “In Everything Give Thanks.”