Thanksgiving 2020
Posted on Nov 25, 2020 by Rob Garza
We are almost to the end of 2020, a season usually filled with joyful anticipation as the year ends with family and friends during the holidays. This year, however, will likely be spent by most alone — or at least celebrating with very few — at their homes. However the holidays are spent, this is certainly a year that we will remember always, finding us even more thankful than usual for what we do have.
For myself, I opted out of visiting my mom and siblings in Omaha for Thanksgiving several weeks ago. Knowing that it was unlikely I would see them for the holidays, I visited my mom in September and got her yard and bushes all cleaned up for the winter months — 17 bags worth. The weather was great, and my mother enjoyed me being there, helping me with what she could do. We would take breaks and have sweet small talks over lunch on the patio as we enjoyed the sunshine.
I visited my mother the following weekend again and worked on the inside, mostly the basement, since nothing had been done since my father’s passing in February. She wanted it back like he had it so that she could start going down to his "man cave," filling the void of his absence. She was so thankful, and emotions got the best of both of us when it was done — another thankful time to be together and reflect what a wonderful life we truly have.
Since then, I have helped with a couple of HopeBUILDERS projects that have limited volunteers. We helped families with ramps that needed to be built for getting to and from where they need to go with little assistance. With COVID-19, we were not able to meet the families we helped, but with a window wave we could see in their eyes that they were thankful for the work we did.
It has been a year of prayer and meditation for the many hardships for everyone, with sickness, loss of work, loss of friends and family. This has affected all of us. Not being able to see loved ones or even friends, our routines have changed — what we do, and how we do things, has changed.
Be reminded that we have made it this far; we all had our own challenges throughout this year and will continue to have some challenges, but we’ll get through this. This will pass in its own way for each of us, but we all have to be thankful with what we have — our family, friends, and that we are still able to help out others in need. Change will happen, but we all have to be thankful.
1 Corinthians 1:4-9 is a good verse to help straighten us:
I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind — just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you — so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rob Garza
Salem Custodian and Digital Print Consultant at MEDiAHEAD