Can I get a high five that holidays can be stressful as well as fun! Perhaps, you may find yourself like I did when we my husband and I first married eating two Thanksgiving meals one at noon and one at four o’clock, only to go home feeling like the stuffed turkey. Oh, then came the compromise, this year at my parents for Thanksgiving and next year at your husband’s parents for Thanksgiving. Not to mention, how to split up Christmas, but that is a month away and so we will save that for another post. Once there are grandchildren involved the stress factor increases.
This one year with grandchildren in tow, we arrive at my mother-in-law’s for Thanksgiving. Randy’s nine-years-old and to be quiet honest, he is the first grandchild and he is the favorite of my mother-in-law. Jacob favored Joseph and gave him a coat of many colors and we know what kind of trouble that brought into Joseph’s life. Randy gives his grandma a big hug. He has blond hair, blue eyes and he can do no wrong in her eyes and he dashes off to find Grandpa. This particular year I am fostering my cousin’s boy Aaron who is five-years-old, he has dish-water blond hair, brown eyes, mischievous as they come. Also, Dale my youngest who is six-years-old, with light blond hair, big blue eye and full of vim and vigor scrims as she kisses him and he takes off to show Aaron the pigs down by the barn.
After the children had played for a while dinner’s ready to be served, Grandpa always eats the turkey leg and he always goes through the line first and Grandma eats a wing and she serves herself last. The turkey this year is a little dry and the ham edges were a “little crisp.” Nothing that gravy could not fix. I helped make the boys their plates. Aaron and Dale were sitting at the counter not at the table. The conversation is lively and soon I hear coming from the counter a rap. Rap is not popular at this time. I try to get the boys attention. Dale and Aaron are echoing one another just above a whisper, “burnt”, “ham”, “ham”, burnt”, “burnt”, “ham”! Unfortunately, Grandma heard it to!
What are you thankful for at the holidays? Children that make you smile! Memories of the good times. What blessings are in your life that maybe you have been taking for granted? I love the song, “Count Your Blessings” there is a line in the song that says count your many blessings see what God has done.
Dale and Aaron had to apologize to Grandma. Beloved, in counting my blessings I am thankful for my family, my friends, and you. I am thankful that we have a God that does not have favorites. I am thankful that while I was a sinner, Christ died for me on the cross so that I could have eternal life. Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” And that we are fearfully and wonderfully made according to Psalm 139:14. I am thankful for the word of God and what it teaches us like the forgiveness of Joseph toward his family and the feast he gave just like a Thanksgiving meal.
As Christmas approaches, enjoy your family and friends. Draw near to God and he will draw close to you as promised in James 4: 7-8. The reason for the season is Jesus. His birthday ushered in the our ability to choose him as our Savior. Isaiah 9:6 says, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Which of these names are you claiming? Is he your Mighty God, your Prince of Peace?
Father God, thank you for being my Prince of Peace. In Jesus’ name. Amen
