Thanksgiving

So I hear there was no turkey at the first Thanksgiving. That's alright...I ain't changing now. Family, food and football - that's a pretty good combination. I was back in lovely Altoona, Iowa last week to celebrate the holiday at my parent's house. It was a great time as always. My sister said she was thankful for the fact that our family gets along well together and can do things together and I couldn't agree more. It would be very disheartening to gather together simply for the act of gathering together when your heart and soul weren't really into it. That would defeat the purpose for which the holiday is named. I do have to thank my parents, and my Mom in particular for her cooking, for creating an atmosphere that promotes a God-centered celebration. I have a lot of wonderful memories from all the holidays we have spent together over the years and that is a very special thing. I give my parents a hard time for being ultra-clean and always putting everything in its place with alarming speed. But it does take a great deal of planning and organization to make a celebration go so smoothly. Much like a really great athlete - they just know how to make it look easy.

I won't go into everything I am thankful for because I simply don't have that much time. I was out to dinner last night with a neighbor who was treating me to a meal. He said to me, "Get whatever you want." So after visions of steak and lobster danced through my head (I got the salmon) those words stuck with me. "Whatever I want"...quite a statement. Doesn't that seem too good to be true when you think about it? Should I even be allowed to get whatever I want? It seems so greedy compared to the hunger and suffering endured by hundreds of millions around the world. I can get in my car and within 5 minutes of driving I could eat at a dozen different restaurants. Absolutely crazy. It is an incredible blessing and one that is meant to be shared with others and not overindulged.

At the Thanksgiving service at my parent's church the pastor asked for people to name what they were thankful for. Someone said they were thankful for second chances. That was my answer as well. I still can't really understand the depth of God's love for me - the eternal and unconditional nature of it. I can get a glimmer of understanding of forgiveness when I think about why God created us and the incredible desire He has for a deep personal relationship with each one of us. But what really blows me away is this idea that God wants to continue to use me to help advance His kingdom and display His glory. I am so deeply flawed and fail so profoundly and consistently that it would really make more sense for God to forgive me but then also say, "If you could just step out of My way for awhile so I can actually get something done here that would be great." But that just isn't the case. Why does God have so much faith in someone who has let Him down so often? I suppose it centers on His love for me and my reason for being here. Otherwise, I am just taking up space - a clanging gong as it were. It's an amazing truth that I know I will never fully comprehend. Thank you God for second chances.