TURKEY

This post was written for Five Minute Friday

(linking up at Andrew's place while Kate is on leave)

Word prompt--TURKEY

Five minutes to free-write about it

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One of my granddaughters hosted Thanksgiving this year, and my grandson cooked the turkey. It was a tasty turkey, but like Andrew, given a choice between turkey and something else, I probably would have opted for the something else.

There were 19 of us this year, so we sat at two different tables, and it made me sad that even though we were celebrating Thanksgiving, no one brought up the topic of what we were all grateful for. And then after I got home I felt really convicted and remiss for not having brought it up either.  

My list of gratitudes is long.

I am grateful for the gift of one more Thanksgiving, and for the loving family that surrounded me.

I am grateful that everyone was healthy, with not even a runny nose among the kids.

I am grateful for the gift of becoming a grandmother and a great-granny, a miracle I would never have dreamed possible back in the day when I was a young widow with two small children and a scary experience led to an irrational fear that I would not live long enough to see them grow up. And yet I did. And I've seen their children grow up as well, and been blessed with 7 grandchildren, and 7 great-grands. 

I am grateful for a most amazing daughter who I surely don't deserve, and for the unexpected healing and restoration of the estranged relationship between me and my son. 

I am grateful that God is longsuffering and patient, and never gives up on me, even when I would long have given up on myself, and I am grateful for His unconditional love and His promise to never leave me or forsake me.

Most of all I am thankful for Jesus and for His gift of salvation. 

I am thankful that the Lord is my shepherd who walks beside me even through the darkest valleys, and that I can trust that He is always in control.