I remember waking up to the smell of turkey in the oven and greenbeans boiling on the wood stove. The house was spotless and decorated in the fall colors my mom loved. It was one of her favorite times of the year when she could cook for the whole family and have us all gather around her.
The kitchen counter overflowed with her home cooked dishes and no matter how many people showed up, we never ran out of food. She welcomed anyone who was hungry to sit at the table and have their fill. The farmhouse was full of love and laughter as we all celebrated Thanksgiving together.
When I was younger I always associated Thanksgiving with turkey and other traditional dishes we would make every year, It was all about the holiday food. It wasn’t until my mom passed away that I realized she is what made it Thanksgiving.
She was the one that brought us all together and made sure we had food to eat. She planned everything with love and always had a smile on her face to serve her family. It hits differently when you start cooking the dishes your mom made and try to fill the shoes she walked in around the holidays.
The recipes are the same but they taste different. The house is clean but it doesn’t feel the same. Everyone gathers around the table but the light of the party is gone and the day feels heavy and dim. The fall colors don’t look as bright and every year seems harder.
I thought about the old days and asked God why it feels so hard and he replied, ” It’s hard because you got a taste of my kingdom and now it’s gone. But only for a little while.”
I pondered what that meant only to realize that my mom was God’s representative in my life. She put God first above all other things in her life and he used her to show his love and give me a glimpse into his heavenly kingdom through her actions.
Everyday will be like Thanksgiving in heaven, the whole family will be together again and none of us will ever be hungry. We’ll gather around the Lord’s table and all sorrow and pain will be absent. God’s light will shine and we’ll forget the darkness. The heaviness we feel now will disappear and we’ll feel like children again waking up to the smell of Thanksgiving in our parents house.
My mom’s example showed me the image of God’s house perfectly. God’s house will be clean and the dinner prepared. We’ll gather around with no dispare. Love and laughter will fill the air, decorations beyond compare. A warm presence filled with light will host us all in eternal life.
I know first hand how hard the holidays can be when you have loved ones in heaven. I’m here to tell you that it’s not the end if you know Jesus. If your parents are still here be thankful. And if they’re not be thankful that God constructed a way for you to see them again.
“Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.” Revelation 19:9 NIV
Happy Thanksgiving!!