It is that time of year again already! Time that we pause from our busy schedules, our work, school, activities, and our taxi service for our kids. We can stop, give thanks and reflect on all that is good and perfect in our world.
In the office at FPL, we have a Thanksgiving journal. This journal was started last year in an attempt to allow staff to pause more frequently and record thanksgivings in this beautiful, messy, sometimes painful work. We haven’t been very good at keeping up with the journal. From time to time we feel inspired, but just as in much of life, we get distracted by any one of dozens of issues.
We rediscovered the journal recently, and have a new surge of trying to be disciplined to recognize and record thanksgivings of Family Promise of Lawrence. Much of what we record about being thankful has come from observations of the guests in the FPL program. Thankfulness is not about being thankful for things, though there is nothing wrong with things. Thankfulness, as we have learned from guests, is about something that cannot be purchased or earned. Thanksgiving is clearly articulated as a gratefulness to strangers they had not known before.
Thankfulness as expressed by guests often looks like this…
We are thankful for:
Kindnesses towards our children
Warm, healthy food prepared and served each night – “with that extra ingredient called love”
That our kids are safe
No judgement – people are nice and don’t judge us
Our stress has decreased
Respect given
A new job lead
A quiet room where we can have some privacy
Rest
A kind new friend that listens
The loving people in the churches
Trust
Connection
Hope
It is really these things that make Family Promise work so well. It is given by each of you who practice genuine hospitality to the stranger – to a family you did not know before. It is for each of you that we are thankful today. Without your gifts of service, prayers and finances, the culture of gracious hospitality at Family Promise of Lawrence would not be possible. This note will go into our staff thanksgiving journal!
Thank you Lord for our network of caring, compassionate people who share your love to your people who are in need of your touch.
Happy Thanksgiving and God’s blessings to all in the FPL network.
“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Ps 118:24 (niv)