THANKSGIVING TRADITION

This just came in from my dear mother. I will not be celebrating Thanksgiving with her this year, we will be separated by 1,200 miles, but I will at Christmas, Lord-willing! I think you'll understand why I love her so and why I am so thankful to the Lord for her and my wonderful spiritual heritage!

Dear Family - As I prepare for tomorrow, I can't help but remember years gone by when we four kids stood around the Thanksgiving table with Gay (this is my great-grandmother), Aunt Mabel, Aunt Ruth, and Uncle Sydney, as well as Mommer and Dad. How beautiful was the beginning of The Doxology with Uncle Syd's deep bass and Aunt Ruth's beautiful alto with the rest of us joining in the various parts. Then, to the amusement of this somewhat naughty little girl, one by one the older voices dropped out as tears filled their eyes and throat! Then there was the Thanksgiving where Aunt Grace and Uncle Milt joined us. Dad asked Uncle Sydney to pray and he choked up and passed it on to Gay who choked up and said, "Milt, you pray", which he did. Now it is me who starts strong but also stops midway in tears as I look at our gathering, holding hands in a circle that grows larger each year. What a blessing to see and hear the younger generation singing that beautiful, old hymn with their hearts as well as their voices. And the young men that have been added to the family leading in the prayer afterwards! Tomorrow we have a new, almost grandson-in-law joining us who also loves our Lord. Eva Karin is so blessed. Yes, I have so very much to be thankful for. May each of you also remember and be thankful for a home that founded us deep in a faith in our Lord Jesus and I hope you can make it through the entirety of The Doxology. (Bet you can't!)

Love to all,
Eva/Mother/Gramma

(We also sing the Doxology at Christmas time. I probably won't make it through without tears...it will have been ten years since I've celebrated Christmas with my mother...I'm in the older generation now...and it's family tradition!)