Family

This was a very special Thanksgiving, as both my hubby and I had our intact biological families together in one place for Thanksgiving for the first time in our marriage. My sister-in-law and her family live in Maine, so Thanksgiving is generally too short of a holiday for them to make the trek down South. The Scott Family

My mother-in-law graciously invited my parents, grandmother and my sister's family to join us as well. But for my sister's two stepchildren, who were missed, we had our whole crew under one roof to feast together.

The Young Family

What memories we made! As we sat around the table having turkey sandwiches tonight looking through old photographs of my husband and my sister-in-law as children, I couldn't help but think about what it might be like 30 years from now when these siblings and cousins gather with their spouses and offspring for a feast of their own.

I think about the pain that will invariably be part of their own life stories--and I want to protect them from it all...maintain their innocence and joy. Yet, I know this would not really be protection. I would be attempting to interfere with what God has for them. I would be characterizing myself as somehow more trustworthy than their Creator and the God of the Universe.

I was reading Psalm 126 the other night and although I am not in a particularly tough place right now, it resonated with me as one I wanted to hide in my heart for the next time times are tough.

"It seemed like a dream, too good to be true, when God returned Zion's exiles. We laughed, we sang, we couldn't believe our good fortune. We were the talk of the nations—"God was wonderful to them!" God was wonderful to us; we are one happy people.

And now, God, do it again— bring rains to our drought-stricken lives so those who planted their crops in despair will shout hurrahs at the harvest, so those who went off with heavy hearts will come home laughing, with armloads of blessing." (Psalm 126 from The Message)

I was able to briefly visit with Cabell today at the hospital. As we talked about what life was like as she watched her spouse battle cancer, I shared this vision from the psalms with her...of returning home laughing with armloads full of blessings.

Tonight as I pondered my day, this passage came to mind again. I thought about my own life so far, then I thought about Grandmama and Nana. With their combined 174 years of life experience I cannot help but acknowledge the pain I know they have walked through on multiple occasions. They have both lost spouses (one to infidelity and one to death). They have both battled cancer twice. They have both attended funerals for their children, parents, siblings, friends and spouses. They have see much of what life brings. They have served God well through the crazy ride of life.

And today they were both radiant as they got to sit and enjoy armloads (and laploads) full of blessings.