We’re neck deep with family here at La Casa de Kraft. My mom is the sole representative of my family in for the holiday. My wife’s family includes her parents, her grandmother, a cousin in the military in San Antonio for training, an aunt, an uncle and a few more cousins. Virtually every room has been “enhanced” with additional sleeping areas. Let’s just say we added a crib to our bedroom closet (hey, there’s a A/C vent and a window, it’s a room!)
While the Black Friday sales and the travel news will dominate our e-mail inboxes, news outlets and plenty of online commentaries, the holiday gives us some chance to reflect upon the blessings that we’ve seen in 2011.
For me, this is too often an afterthought after figuring out where Thanksgiving will be held, figuring out travel, figuring out dinner, making sure that the Texas-Texas A&M game will be on, running the Turkey Trot, eating too much, regretting eating too much and then being anxious that the normal grind was about to return.
While cliché, tomorrow, let’s try to focus on giving thanks to God, our family and friends, and all those who touched us during the year.
Agreed! This week it could have been easy for me to focus on my car breaking down and somehow ending up embarrassingly behind on housework, but an 8-hour round trip drive for my little brother found me home under my parents’ roof. Any thoughts of how my week was “ruined” was overpowered by my mom’s silent witness of thanksgiving for our safety and togetherness. When the Holy Spirit appears in those tiny moments, it’s hard to deny Him!