Thoughts of Thanksgiving

Life is swirling, dancing, and flittering all around me.  It leaps, it stills, it rests, and it then it flurries again, in a sometimes maddening, but always beautiful, orchestrated and pre-measured routine.  Sometimes, I just hold my breath, jump on, and live it.  At other times, I take a turn on the assistant conductors stand, and wave my arms around in patterns of conductors joy. And then there are the times of sweet and blessed bliss where I just simply relax, rejoice and rest as it passes all around me.

All of these are different seasons and colors of life.  Each has made an appearance on this weekend of Thanks and Thanksgiving.  On Wednesday as parents arrive from a far journey, I am blessed by hugs of love and excitement to see them again.  They have a few more joyous life lines and maybe some more gray hairs.  And with mom...the eyes are dimming a bit.  Lord, keep her safe.  Hold her tight.  Let her always know and love you, and let her feel safe in your love.  Dad needs a bit of help too Father.  He's trying so hard to live life,  take good care of Mom.  Bless him with extra patience, extra strength and love and wisdom beyond his years.  Wrap your arms around him and love him with your exorbitant and fierce love so that he knows you are always there.  In the dark, in the confusion, shine your Light Father.

The scene changes and in bounce beautiful daughter and handsome son.  Oh Father, what a precious gift to see them again.  Early August is a long time.  With them, life is leaping, twittering, dancing.  Both are weary and need a little time to relax and rest.  What a joy to see them, to hold them, to hear them laugh, and see their eyes dance.  Eyes you have given Father.  And eyes that you shine through.  Father, please bless their studies.  Bless their travels.  Bless their decisions, their relationships, their life choices.  Bless their finals and their grades.  And bring them safely home for Christmas again Lord, so I can snuggle and hold them tight.  You are so good Father.  You have blessed me so richly.

Thursday brought a feast!  With eleven thankful souls gathered round our table Lord, you made my heart swell.  I know that this is a time of living, of soaking in, or memories to cherish.  I look at faces and see life.  Joy.  Excitement.  Expectance.  Blessings.  Memories.  Sweet times.  Thank you Father.  I do not deserve the richness that you continue to heap upon my head.  But Father, it is so good, and so You, and I am so grateful for these times.

Friday Lord.  Oh Friday.  On Friday, after three years, you brought the promise of a new son.  Daughter number two, became engaged to her beloved.  Young love.  Grounded in You.  On Your Word.  On Your Promises.  Lord, they have sought you.  Been obedient to You.  And to her father.  Lord, may you heap blessings upon their heads all of their lives.  May they too experience life to it's fullest, with more blessings than their heart can hold.

On Saturday, precious children sang and practiced lines as a got to stand on the assistant conductors stage Lord.  Father, I know you are in charge.  I rejoice in the fact that they're preparing to tell the story of your birth.  May you be glorified in their lives and in their stories.  That evening, the entire family made an outing to the theater.  As the lights went down, and the actors took the stage, I found myself in tears, as I reflected on the eleven of us, in a row, all enjoying the magic of the excitement of life.  La Chaim!

Precious Son-in-Love and Daughter number One have joined in for almost every step of the dance this weekend.  What true joy to have them here.  To see their strength.  To watch their example.  From drivers, to ping-pong players, to Pictionary Partners, they have been there.  Thank you for these part of their season Lord.  Bless and keep them too Lord.

And then, on Sunday, I got to join in with my family and friends Lord around the alter to worship.  Precious One...You are so good to me.  The afternoon nap was needed Lord.  And the Christmas tree tonight is simply the glittering icing on the cake.

Swirling.  Dancing.  Flittering. Leaping.  Resting.  Flurrying.  Father, give me eyes that ever see You.  That ever seek You.  Give me Your heart Lord.  And thank you for keeping me in the dance.