My mother, Earlene, believes in sharing and being kind to others. On Thanksgiving Day when I was growing up, my mom would drive to a nearby children’s home and pick up a few extra kids to bring to our home for dinner.
We were already a family of seven, and in my opinion, we didn’t need more people to grab the turkey drumstick. But she felt these fatherless and motherless children deserved a home for the holidays.
What would happen if I stepped outside of my comfort zone and invited someone to my house for Thanksgiving? Maybe a person who couldn’t get home to celebrate this season with her own family? I would feel awkward for a while. And then I would get to know someone new. I would grow.
From a prayer in the Lutheran Book of Worship we promised to “offer with joy and thanksgiving what [God has] first given us—ourselves, our time, our possessions, signs of [God’s] gracious love.”
How can we make good on those promises this holiday season? What would Earlene do?
This message is excerpted from “What would Earlene do?” by Terri Lackey from the November 23, 2017, blog of the Women of the ELCA. Today we commemorate Clement, Bishop of Rome, c. 100 and Miguel Agustin Pro, martyr, 1927.
Copyright © 2024 Women of the ELCA. Inquiries for permission to reproduce should be directed to [email protected]. If you enjoy this resource, Donate Now.