Take a Minute to Set Down Your Fork

 

It’s early on Thanksgiving morning,

and our house is filled with sleeping people.

In just a few minutes, though, the hustle and bustle of gathering supplies and heading toward Mamaw and Papaw’s will shove silence out the door and replace it with conversations about “not forgetting this” or “remembering that.”

This is my 50th Thanksgiving on this planet.

In some ways, it seems like so many and yet this year everything seems new.

I’m not sure if it’s the changes in everyone around me or if it’s just me who is going through some sort of metamorphosis; but whatever the case, I feel different today.

I feel super aware of all the things I consider blessings in my life.

I wrestled all night.

Every time I moved a bit, I could hear Tim snoring; and I found myself feeling incredibly thankful for simple things like the sound of his breath moving in and out.

I found myself praying for my kids in ways I’d never prayed for…………………….thanking God for their current struggles because I know these are the very things that will draw each of them closer to Him…………………in time.

I found myself wondering what I would be like today if I had never faced a Thanksgiving dinner with empty chairs; and in that moment I found myself giving thanks for the honor of loving human beings who were taken from me way before I was ready to let them go.

I don’t have time to write a lot this morning, but I had to get up and share one thought today and this is it:

As you gather with loved ones over the next couple of days to celebrate this annual day of Thanksgiving,

take a minute to set down your fork.

No one has to know what you’re doing.

You can even pick up your glass and take a drink as you do this; but while your fork is down, look around the table.

Soak in every face.

Listen to every voice.

Silently give thanks for life and laughter and love.

And if there are faces absent and voices missing,

give thanks for them too and how they’ve helped make you who you are today.

My phone just buzzed as I was typing, and I glanced over to see this pic:

Our friends are at the Macy’s Parade this morning and

just sent this message to let us know they are thinking of us and of Nick.

 I’m already feeling overwhelmed with thanksgiving,

and I haven’t even had a chance to set down my fork.