Ok it's the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and I feel like if I don't sit down and blog this whole month is going to pass me by!!! The plan was to get some rest during my break, but I think Life had other ideas! At any rate, here I am, just in time to organize some thoughts.
So, I am sitting here, watching Charlie Brown on television. I can't help but think back to holiday seasons when I was a kid. Holidays back then meant road trips, people sleeping all over my grandparents house and a meal for no less than 50 people. It's mind boggling to think about the amount of work that went into preparing that meal.
I got my assignment for tomorrow's meal and I can happily report that my work is done. I made sweet potato pies and chocolate pies. They are all wrapped up and ready to go and all we need to do tomorrow is get up and head out! I hate that it will be a one day trip for Johnnie. He'll have to make a flying trip since he has to work on Friday. At least he's able to be with us this year. This is the first year in as long as I can remember that he wasn't scheduled to work the holiday. Hopefully this will be the last holiday season that he works full time so scheduling won't be a problem.
I can't help but think about loved ones who will be celebrating their first holiday season with empty chairs. My family has had an empty chair for several years. In time I have come to understand that we have all dealt with that differently. I have personally tried to avoid holidays, schedule trips to keep busy throughout them and just to face them head on. I have to say that no mater which way I chose to deal with them the empty chair was the same. The chair was still empty and my heart was still sad.
In the past few months I have resolved myself to really trying to mend some of the frayed edges of my family. I may take a little time, as I have become somewhat slow to fully invest myself into the lives of others, but I will get there. I am interested in seeing where the journey will lead. I hope I can look back a year from now and see that some real progress has been made. Stay tuned!
If only I had some words of advice or encouragement to offer those around me who will be looking at those empty chairs for the first time this year. Unfortunately, there aren't any! No cliche's will make things better. What I can do is offer a shoulder of support and a word of prayer. If you are reading this, and you know someone in need, I am asking that you do the same!
Our loved ones have not run away to hide. I know, in my own case, only the finality of death could keep my mother from me, but her absence is palpable just the same! So I guess the best I can do is offer up extra prayers for those who mourn losses this holiday season.
We are taught to pray for those in need and I guess I have always done that, but I have to say that this year something is different. I mean, I have no problem praying for the things I want or need and I have no problem offering up a brief "God Bless _______", but this year I have taken some real time to lift others up in prayer. That's one benefit of my job. I have a lot of time, while I am driving from school to school, to have some real conversations with God.
Maybe that is the reason some of my general holiday funk has lifted. I mean, if I stay busy focusing on others, there is less time for the blues to creep in. It's funny though because my purpose was not to make myself feel better, but that's the result I got. So, I think I will spend the rest of the year being thankful for the many blessings in my own life and lifting those around me who need prayers.
There was a huge black cloud over my holidays until just last year. A little blonde hair, blue eyed boy named Beckham brought with him sunshine and warmth I had forgotten existed He didn't fill the chair that was left empty, but he did make his place at our family table. It's only been a year and a half since he joined us and I can not imagine life without him! I thank God that he is happy & healthy!
When I look at where I am in life, and how things are in my world, I can see blessings all around me. I know that there are people in this world with some real problems. I guess that's the real lesson. No matter how bad or low we may be, there is always someone whose struggles are greater. There is always work to be done.
I hope that the ones that I care about, who are grieving this year, find that one special thing to lift them out of their sadness! That'll be my prayer for the rest of the year. I will ask God to bless them, as he has me, and that I can be the kind of friend and support that Jesus has called me to be.
Maybe that's just the way life works. Over time we find ourselves with empty chairs here on earth, but up in Heaven there is a banquet table set where all our friends and loved ones will be gathering. There will be no more pain and no more illness. I have this picture in my head of what it will be like, and I am sure it will, only better!!! I can't wait to join the party one day!
It's almost time to go to bed. Just one more sleep and I will be spending a few days with my sweet Beckham. If I could say anything else it would be that if your loved ones are still here, hug them tight and let them know how much you love them. If you know someone who is grieving, love on them. If they need a shoulder to cry on, give it. If they need someone to listen, turn an ear to them. If they need to be lifted up, do that. Pay it forward! Not only will it help someone along their journey, but I can promise you will learn some things about yourself in the process!
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
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