How's everyone doing today?

[RevCheesehead]

Holidays are hard when you're grieving, but I've always felt that Thanksgiving is the hardest to bear. There's a constant emphasis on family and togetherness, and being grateful for your blessings. But when you've lost someone you love, it's often hard to think of the family really "being together."

After my mom died, the family gathered at Dad's. And it was horrible. We all felt the empty place in our hearts, and noticed her absence more than ever. Easter was easier, because the focus on resurrection brought us hope. But thanksgiving brought heartache and tears, as well as a few arguments and cross words.

Today during the Macy's parade, I heard one of the announcers say "we hope you're all with your family, because that's what Thanksgiving is all about." And I got mad. Totally ticked off. I thought "you obviously haven't lost someone significant in your life, because you'd know just how insensitive your remark was."

The preacher in me needs to say that Thanksgiving is NOT about family. It's about gratitude. It's about how a group of Christians gathered after their first bountiful harvest, and offered thanks to God, not only for the food they had, but also especially for God helping them to survive one of their bleakest of moments. Somehow, football and turkey have taken over the message. But today, I give thanks to God for continuing to see me through the darkness, offering me hope that tomorrow will be better; and reminding me that no matter what I go through, I will never, ever, ever be alone. That gives me hope to face not just today, but tomorrow, and all the other difficult days that lie ahead.

I'm thinking of you all today, and hope that you know you are surrounded by love.

[livetohike]

1. Such a nice post Rev. Cheesehead

you always know the right things to say :-). Holidays are definitely different since my Dad has been gone. My siblings don't seem to want to all get together on the holidays now. I seem to be the only one worried about where my Mom will go (and I live a two hour drive from everyone). Since moving back to PA, we have Thanksgiving at our house each year - three in a row now. This year, the group was small. My Mom, my m-i-l, one brother and his wife and two of their adult kids. Everyone else had "other plans". Seems like my Dad was the one who held us all together.

[demwing]

2. thank you

very much

[havocmom]

3. Your kindness is a rock for us to lean on in the winds

Thank you for being such a good shepherd.