Every year at this time, the WIC Clinic where I work participates in a local family-to-family Thanksgiving dinner give-away. An area non-profit agency purchases turkey dinners for needy families through their donations set aside for this purpose. Then they send letters out to other agencies whose purpose is to serve the down and out, asking them to help distribute the dinners. Each year, our WIC Clinic receives 25 turkey dinners which we raffle off to our clients.
As I am the only employee at our clinic who drives a "family-size" car, it becomes my job to go pick up the dinners. The process is extremely efficient! The agencies are to arrive with their letters at 10:00 AM. A long line of cars, trucks and vans pulls into the agency driveway and as each car arrives at the donation station, a group of volunteers opens all of the car doors and loads the car up with the necessary number of turkey dinners. After my van is loaded up with the 25 dinners, I drive back to work where a co-worker meets me at the loading dock and we unload the groceries from my van onto carts and we haul the food up to our Clinic. Twenty five families have already been called and told that they have won turkey dinners, so by 1:00 in the afternoon, they begin to arrive at the clinic to gather up their Thanksgiving food packages. It's a joy to participate in this annual give-away!
So, with that, I would like to make a list of some of the many things for which I am very grateful to God and I will begin it with my gratitude for my Catholic faith, my job, my family and friends, plenty of food, and a warm and cozy house to live in.
To those basic thanks, I add some recent specifics...
Mary was doing homework at the kitchen table while I cooked dinner and out of the blue she asked me how long it has been since we've gone to confession, and then added that she hopes we go real soon, she's got lots she wants to get off her chest. I am always happy to oblige with a visit to a nearby church where we can celebrate the sacrament, and I am grateful for a daughter who is aware of her need for God's forgiveness.
On a lazy Saturday morning I awoke from a crazy, silly dream and realized that I woke up because I was laughing so loud. I looked over to my husband and saw him smiling too, wondering what on earth could be so funny, and then I burst out laughing again. What a wonderful way to start the day!
I love Sundays! I love to rise early and attend the first Mass of the day with my family. When we come home, I love to exchange my dress clothes for something comfy and spend a relaxing day at home. I enjoy cooking a big Sunday dinner that fills the house with warmth and delicious smells as everyone anxiously awaits mealtime.
I recently had the joy of picking John up from a weekend away visiting the college Seminary and he talked non-stop on the half hour drive home about all of the wonderful things he experienced and how much he enjoyed his time there. It was wonderful to hear him say that he could easily see himself attending college at the Seminary!
I love being able to share my thoughts and prayers on this blog and to know that there are others who share those same thoughts and prayers. This big world really isn't so big, is it?
I am grateful for many opportunities to kneel in prayer, pouring out my heart until it is empty, ready and waiting for God to fill it with His love and the knowledge of His will for me.
For all of these blessings, and for so much more, I thank you, Lord!
