Holidays and Thankful

November 28, 2010

The holiday season has begun for 2010! Thanksgiving was a time of reflection, fun, and new ways to celebrate. I woke up early on Thanksgiving morning and had some quite time sitting on my deck looking at the tree that 2 years ago our family made our Christmas card in front of. The bottom of our card that year said one word…the word that would keep me steady in the days ahead…Peace. This Thanksgiving was not one with tears but my mind would often drift to different Thanksgivings with Joe and how we celebrated in days past. We would usually work together in the kitchen cooking and share special moments…just the two of us. This year Price was the only child home as Austin and Laura were in New York celebrating Laura’s 30th birthday. Mallory and Rob were in Houston but met us at the Texas vs. TAMU game. My sister and her family were in so Price and I went to my parent’s home. Melissa and I put together a Thanksgiving meal that would have made mom proud if she was well. Our mom taught us well and I am thankful for that. Later in the afternoon Price and I left for Austin TX for the big game. Price was our host on the UT campus and took us to a tale gate party before the game. Price is a Jr. at UT and Mallory and Rob both graduated from TAMU so the game was lots of fun. I think I smiled the whole time enjoying my kids and often thought of how much Joe would have enjoyed the event. He was a huge UT fan. But at the end of the day, Texas couldn’t hold the Aggies….oh well…next year. It was a good holiday but I will admit that there were a few tears as I decorated my home for Christmas…Joe and I always worked together and it was such a fun day as we transformed our home into a winter wonderland.

As we went around the table saying what we are thankful for, I commented that this year I was so thankful for grace…I don’t mean that as a trite phrase. His grace, the power to do something we cannot do ourselves and His undeserved gifts have held me together this past year and kept me smiling. Truly, “His grace is sufficient” and I have discovered the truth of that passage in II Cor.12: 9 I don’t just believe it…I know it. Often times we have no experience to back up what we
believe…I am thankful for the opportunity to not just believe but the life experience I have to know. I know the experience with His grace will serve me well in the days ahead. I will be much more willing to step into unknown things knowing His grace will be sufficient. I am so thankful for all the special gifts God has given me this year…thankful for a surprise relationship with a very kind and understanding man in California and thankful for the gifts God has given to me and the kids to help us thru a difficult season. I know God will reward them for being kind to a widow and her children. His grace has enabled me to keep going and I am thankful.