Another Thanksgiving is upon us. The rich colours and abundant harvest of this season fill my heart with gratitude.
Contributing to my sense of appreciation this year is that our family has been displaced from our home as we renovate the house in which we have lived for 18 years. Not only are we remodelling our home to suit the needs of our family, we (all six of us!) have been welcomed into the home of my in-laws.
There’s nothing like packing up one’s belongings to realize how much excess accumulates in a home (especially one with a crawlspace) over 18 years. There’s nothing like bringing some essentials to another person’s house to make one realize how little is truly needed to get by.
We have what we need. We have clothing. We have toiletries. We have food, sporting equipment, and vehicles. We had one roof over our head and now we have another. We are blessed materially.
More importantly, we are blessed with family. Spending time together watching the news or having a morning coffee with whoever happens to be in the room is a comforting feeling.
A few months ago, I was somewhat anxious about this renovation. I knew that I was very fortunate to have the choice to renovate, so I could not very well complain about having to find the time and energy to pack and purge, store and organize. It weighed over me like a ton of bricks as I tried to fit it in amid life in a house of kids; yet, as I continued to work, gratitude lifted the burden.
I was also apprehensive about all of us moving out of our house for a few months and adjusting to a new normal for a while, but I had nothing to worry about. This transition has allowed me to live in the moment more than ever. I am enjoying each stage of watching the house take shape. I’m also enjoying each moment here with my in-laws knowing, in real time, that we are making precious memories each day we are here.
Many other things have happened since last Thanksgiving to test my capacity for gratitude. Overwhelming sadness and fear have touched me in several instances including three sudden deaths, deaths of those who had suffered from long-term illnesses, several diagnoses of cancer, a change in work for my husband, difficulties within our Church, natural disasters, violence, and the never-ending controversies over politics. The list goes on; however, my cup still overflows.
In faith, I know that in sadness, in hardship, in challenge, and in change, God is there – even if we must look a little harder to see him through our tears.
God fills my life with loving people, beautiful music, and a modest, yet comfortable, lifestyle. God fills me with the gift of himself each time I pray, each time I receive the Eucharist, each time I gather with others in his name.
Regardless of where I hang my hat, regardless of who is with me or of what situations surround me, I am never alone. I hope and pray that I can be like the leper in the Gospel of Luke (17:15-19) who – although he had been ill and outcast – returns thanks after being healed by Jesus.
“One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him – and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, ‘Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?’ Then he said to him, ‘Rise and go; your faith has made you well.’”
I pray that I will not drift into complacency and become like one of the “other nine” who take Jesus’ healing for granted. Let me never forget the blessings in my life and let me look to them, especially during difficult times.
May the beautiful colours, tastes, people, and traditions of Thanksgiving fill our hearts with gratitude, regardless of our current situations. May our faith make us realize that, in all circumstances, Christ has made us well.
Happy Thanksgiving.
