My entire life, we always went to Grandma Karon’s house for Thanksgiving.  She lived in a tiny town in rural Missouri and visiting her was like hitting the pause button.  There was nothing to do but eat home cooked food, sleep under antique quilts and walk down gravel roads.

When my grandmother passed away two years ago, I knew that our Thanksgiving “we always…” would have to change.  But it wasn’t until this year, our third Thanksgiving without her, that the truth finally hit me.  I will never taste Grandma’s home grown creamed corn again.  I will never sit with her on the front porch and pet her kitty again.  In fact, I will probably never even visit that sleepy little town again.

And it hurts.

I guess I feel like life has been so busy lately.  My work is busy; my family is busy.  I feel like I take care of one crisis just to find another, and in the past, Thanksgiving was always a definitive break from the busy.  But now…

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” Colossians 3:15 (NIV)

I guess we all go through these changes as the years pass and loved ones go on.  God was gracious to me that I had so many years with my Grandma.  The home that she built provided me a wonderful example of how to live life well.  Now it is time for me to create a similar atmosphere of peace and gratitude surrounding Thanksgiving for my children to remember.  I realize even more this year that my harmony must not come from the things of this world but from Christ alone!  Praise God!

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