Thanks Giving

We were able to make our annual trip to Fulton to celebrate Thanksgiving with Luke’s family. His sweet Granny has recently moved to a nursing home, and we were able to go by and visit with her as well.    
There are about 6 kids this size running around…just precious!
We also always have fun playing outside. Papa Q put the kids in the tree for this shot! They loved it!!

I handed Luke the camera so my kids will know I am actually at all these family events.
We headed back to Memphis to celebrate with my family. They both got good post turkey naps!

This whole scenario cracks me up. Jennifer had had it with the fighting among the seven kids under 5 over the footstools. She was pulled out the oldest cousin bossy voice and everything! And that was the best pic of the kids that I got. Yay.
Luke and I were asked to speak about Being Thankful at church on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. We discussed the wreck (June 15) and what we were like before and what it did to change us. I rambled on about the actual wreck for a little too long, but I was also able to share how I know realize thanksgiving is a two part word. We are thankful and therefore we need to give. Our time, our money, our efforts. I realize when I am thankful for something, there is always an inverse to that…I love my husband, some don't have a husband because they haven't found the one, or he was taken by death or divorce; I am thankful for my kids, others don't have any because of their circumstances; I am thankful for my home, and there are others all over who don't have somewhere warm to lay their head. I need to be aware of others inverses. Prior to the wreck, I was just so thankful for my perfect little family. I remember praying my kids wouldn't have anything wrong with them when they were born. I feel like God has just broadened my scope of what is good. Different is good. Hard stuff is good. God is good! What we do with our life is what matters (and that sounds so cliche, but I have never claimed to be right brained!) What I have also been reminded of is that everyone has a story. When you are stuck at The Med, you know everyone is there because someone they love is hurt or sick. Walking around in every day life, it isnt much different. Many people are carrying around some kind of hurt or baggage and how I treat them can make a huge difference in their day. People are the way they are for a reason. The rude ones that cut us off when we are driving in a hurry, and the nosy women in the grocery store trying to give advice.
So what am I to do with my thankfulness? How can I lessen the load for someone else?

Appreciation is the highest form of prayer, for it acknowledges the presence of good wherever you shine the light of your thankful thoughts. 

Alan Cohen