This year our Thanksgiving crowd was quite small. Thanksgiving has always been me and Matt’s favorite holiday so we have always offered to host. In 2019, I could look around the table and see my husband, Jackson, Hudson, my mom and dad, my brother, and Matt’s dad. This year Maddux is now old enough to sit at the table, my brother joined us but we are missing my mom, my dad, and Matt’s dad.
Regardless of who attended our feast, this year we have so much to be thankful for: our health, our new jobs, our family, our home, our church, the list just goes on and on. As I took a few minutes to reflect on previous years, I couldn’t help but notice a difference in my attitude this year. In the past, Thanksgiving has been a feast where we get together, Matt and I argue over whether or not my second favorite dish should be called “stuffing” or “dressing”, we watch football, take naps and eat too much pie. I try to play the role of the “hostess with the mostest” for my family with decorations/dishes, the best plating arrangement and eating flow for the day. This year, without those distractions, I was able to feel just how humbling Thanksgiving is. We spend one single day a year dedicated to acknowledging and sharing our gratitude. But why should it be condensed to one day?
I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.
Psalms 69:30
In our house, we thank God for our health, our family, our home, our friends, and more daily in prayer. We thank Him for the big things in the big moments, healing, test results, promotions, etc. But how often do we thank Him when he shows up unexpectedly in our day to day lives? Just a few days ago, my dad would have celebrated his 72nd birthday. I got up, got ready for work, sat down at my computer and just broke down. The stillness of the house, my short list of responsibilities for the day and the heaviness of my dad not being here to celebrate his birthday had me in shambles. I was a mess. Unexpectedly, two things took place that provided some clarity on how I was going to get through the grief of the day:
- A coworker messaged me about a Christmas event at work, and brought up her most recent loss. I told her about my dad’s birthday and she said that “[my dad’s] lil angel Sarah carries on his work, here on earth, in so many wonderful ways.” That sentiment was just so powerful to me. Giving me strength to power through and really focus on ‘my work’ (which by the way, isn’t my actual day job).
- A radio personality on Z88.3 (the local Christian radio station) took a brief moment to acknowledge those that were missing loved ones this holiday season. She said we all grieve in different ways, but we should give ourselves some grace, grieve and take care of ourselves.
Listen, I didn’t need any more encouragement to just take the day to grieve and not try to stuff my emotions away and work. But I will say, I was incredibly thankful for my sweet work friend and her kind words and that I turned on my radio while I was working because without it I would have struggled to get through the day. It’s moments like the ones above that I can’t help but bow my head and just breathe out a sigh of relief and thank God for the notes that keep my emotions in check. My questions to myself after moments like these is, how many times have I missed the messages from the Holy Spirit? How many times have I chalked it up to coincidence and laughed? I believe the messages I received healed my heart in that moment and made a hard day less sad and gave me the strength to enjoy doing things that my dad enjoyed doing.
So I hope you and your family had a blessed Thanksgiving. I pray that you find comfort in the memories created with your loved ones as you look around your table for those that are no longer there. I know that Thanksgiving comes one day a year, but I am encouraged this year to spend more time humbling myself to the blessings God has given to me and my family. I hope to spend more time being truly grateful for the faces around me and less enamored by the way things are experienced or how they look on the outside.
It’s easy to thank God for the big moments, but I know when I acknowledge Him in the smaller moments, I can feel him walking with me daily.
Blessings to you,
Sarah
delightfullyboldlife.com 