This is the second year we dont have my dad. He passed two years ago.

We always had Thanksgiving at his house. I lost my mom at 17, but we kept up the tradition.

(An aside, my dad was from the old school. He believed in company that stayed too long soon became like old fish and began to smell. Soon after our Thanksgiving dinner, we would clean up wash dishes, and daddy would disappear then return in his pajamas and bathrobe. "You stay as long as you like, I'm going to bed." Most of the time we stayed on a while, and left when it suited us. Nothing personal, that was just my dad).

Anyway, the point of the thread here is what we are thankful for.

You could go to my dad's house a week before Thanksgiving, and the table was set. The dishes that are only used sparingly laid out, knifes, forks, spoons, glassware, napkins set and ready to go.

You could go to my dad's house two weeks before Thanksgiving and see the same thing. He would have to dust the dishes once before Thanksgiving.

He'd boil and bake a ham. We would provide the sides and deserts. My sisters and I felt fine to invite someone that maybe didnt have a Thanksgiving to go to. They would be welcome.

It wasnt until after the first Thanksgiving without him that it began to dawn on me. The preparedness my dad had with regard to the annual meal was much like our Heavenly Father's preparedness for us. The Way (Jesus) He sent to prepared the way for us. The Father has set the table, it is ready and well appointed. It costs us nothing , just come and accept His meal. Bring whom you will, all are accepted. The difference being once sat at His table, you never hunger again. (And He doesnt come in, announce He is going to bed!).

Being thankful for the Life I share in Christ with my earthly family tops anything else I could imagine.

Being thankful for the memory of those Thanksgivings that help give me a glimmer of Christ, priceless.371d36d75e05eda735858f8e467be99c