Thanks Giving.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve noticed that many of my Facebook friends have been posting daily status updates about what they are thankful for. It’s been interesting and rewarding to read them. But I wasn’t called to do so myself. Not that I’m not thankful … I am … for a lot. But I chose to keep it close to the vest.

But now, I’m reflecting over a short trip to Firebaugh that Lynn and I made with our friends, Gary and Grace Pendleton, to deliver some Thanksgiving food baskets. They were the efforts of many (both time and resources). Two needy migrant worker families were identified. What we experienced gave me a whole new meaning to the word “Thanksgiving.”

There is no way we could ever relate to their daily struggles … we just can’t. What inspired me was the joy and happiness seen on the faces of the children. If they are going without, they don’t know it. However, I could see the strain and wear on the faces of the adults. They are giving what little they have in material goods to their families, and giving the whole of their hearts to their children. Now that is giving!

They couldn’t thank us enough for our baskets. But we should be giving thanks to them, for setting us straight about priorities. Love, families, and doing the best we can, day by day, according to what life gives us. And giving profuse thanks to everyone that gifts us by their presence in our lives.