Sights and Sounds from a Different sort of Thanksgiving

In all about 70+ people came to the Thanksgiving Feast at the Community Center yesterday ... many
of them helped with set up, cooking, serving, greeting, and clean up. Here are a few sights and sounds we took in yesterday:

 - a single mom sitting at a table with her kids, discouraged, a slump in her shoulders ... and one of our church members with her, and arm around her, encouraging her not to give up. I didn't hear in any way what was said but I saw Jesus loving that dear Mom.

- families and couples that came because they (like us!) don't have extended family in the area and didn't want to spend Thanksgiving just by themselves but wanted to spend time with others, open to whatever the Lord wanted to do that day

- a person new to the area, just moved up the day before, still staying in a hotel. He saw the flyer and didn't want to spend Thanksgiving alone, so he came - and he made some friends.

- a person who shared with me that they had spent the last Thanksgiving (and countless Thanksgivings before) on their couch yelling at their family for doing drugs, while high themselves. This person has been sober for over a month now and just destroyed their marijuana pipe. They came because they wanted to get rid of the bad stuff in life and wanted to replace the bad with good things. "I have never volunteered for a single thing in my life! But I wanted to volunteer today. I felt it was the right thing to do."

- a gentleman who shared that he was a recovering addict and didn't want to be alone on Thanksgiving because loneliness is his biggest trigger.

There were many more stories I am unaware of. Those are just the ones I was privileged to observe or enter into.  Afterwards our family loaded up the leftover food and embarked on the 2 hour trek to Denver. Reid didn't want a single food item to go to waste, so we dropped it off downtown at the Denver Rescue Mission. It was dusk and as we drove down Lawrence Street, I heard the girls in the back of the truck saying; "I'm feeling afraid....please lock the doors, I don't like it here...it's dark and there is graffiti everywhere." Men were lining up on all sides of the street - some to get into the rescue mission for the night, others (I can only assume) hoping for something to eat and getting ready to sleep....who knows where. At least it was a fairly warm evening for this time of year.

After that we headed to the mall to stretch our feet before the two hour drive back. People lined up everywhere for the 6:00pm Black Friday sales openings (I didn't realize they were starting on Thanksgiving already... apparently we live pretty isolated up in the mountains! :). We people-watched...and wondered.  The irony. The eyes of the men lined up at the rescue mission looked no less forlorn and empty than the eyes of the ladies lined up outside Coach or the people outside H&M etc..... and I wonder how happy they are this morning with the bargains they found and how long it will last. Happiness really isn't found in stuff and great sales, is it - no more than in drugs and alcohol and paid sex. Happiness is found with Jesus and the life He has prepared for us to live - His Life in us. And He wants to offer His life and love to each and every person we saw yesterday...

Timberline had 120 people for Thanksgiving this year! I think it was helpful that the Lord gave our family other plans this time around! Mrs. Thomas (Major's wife) as well has Chris Thomas (our international director) and his wife Bonnie, are sharing during evening fireside chats about the history of Torchbearers and what the Lord is currently doing all over the world. It's a busy season for everyone. Please pray for our students as they prepare to go to New York for their urban missions trip. It is always a stretching time for them.

Ian is doing well on his trip. We Skype with him regularly. He leaves tomorrow for northern India (the Torchbearer Center up there) and we're not sure what the internet situation will be like. He'll have a week there before heading to my brother's and his family's place for the rest of December.

We're thankful for all he is seeing, experiencing and taking part in. If you didn't receive his update and would like for me to forward it to you, let me know.

For now a blessed Thanksgiving from our family to yours!

Off He goes!

With a smile and a wave he was off through security with his Dad who took him to the gate and sent him on his way. We miss him already but are excited for him all at the same time. It will be the first time our family will not be together for the holidays as he will return to CO January 1st!  Tomorrow Ian, my Dad and Mom, get on an airplane from Columbia to Atlanta and then a 15 hour flight to Dubai where they'll have a bit of a layover before they travel on to India. We're looking forward to updates and will pass them on as they come in.

Reid and I discussed Ian being gone for so long at a young age....and we both agreed, that we would be fearful to have it any other way and would always regret holding him back. The Lord made it clear to us both that He had provided for him to go on this trip (there was no way this was humanly possible). I have had a few well meaning parents voice their concerns to us about the wisdom of allowing Ian to go on the trip. I've tried to explain that the Lord made it clear to us that our children were not ours to hold on to, but gifts He was entrusting to us for a time....and when He calls (like He called Hannah to surrender Samuel), then we would be more than foolish to stand in His way.  But I usually get blank stares, looks of pity. I can't say that I've easily gotten to a point of surrender (nor have I arrived there!), but I have learned (from personal experience!) that not trusting the Lord when He calls to full surrender causes a tremendous amount of heartache and pain ... and it's just not worth it.

In the mean time we certainly won't be sitting around the house! :) Reid is in full swing getting the community Thanksgiving Dinner advertised and organized, and then he heads to New York for a week to take our students on the urban mission trip. It's a highlight of his year! They volunteer with several ministries to the homeless and learn a lot about ministry opportunities in urban centers! It's always a great experience for the students.

Here at the house we hope to have the living room renovated and in a week or two and may take a break and start back up on the kitchen in the New Year to enjoy the holiday season.  We'll have to see. And in less than two weeks we find out if the ratio in our family will be 4:3 or 5:2! :) And of course everything else continues as well with life at Timberline, Celebrate Recovery, Classical Conversations and you name it! :)

Well I have a pot of potato soup on the stove for this cold and snowy CO day...it's been snowing all day long and is just beautiful outside. Driving in it is not so much fun however! I hope all of you are having a great week!