Home for the Holidays...let the eating begin!

with my baby brother and mother with my mom's baby brother (is there a trend here?)
ben "loving on" smokey joe

This is my first Holiday Season to be home with my family in four years. Today, Thanksgiving Day, I am reminded of the joys and the pains, the pleasures and the prices of what is means to be home this time of year!

I had a surreal, nostalgic feel this morning as I picked up my nephew and visited my sister and father for a few moments. Happy to be here, but once again feeling a bit dissappointed and helpless as I faced the reality of sin in my family, in the world...the discord, confusion, depression, disanimation, selfishness, fear. And though And though many old, but familiar feelings like fear, frustration and sadness came flooding just as they did when I was a teen, I saw a difference in myself. An ability to step back, look at the situation and not totally get lost within it, but to step out and let go AND love at the same time.It was freeing - for us all I believe.

The day continued with great things for which I am very thankful...cooking in the kitchen WITH mama all day then eating, playing football, walking to the creek, talking, eating some more, watching the Falcons...and all that within the context of enjoying A LOT of people, some known, many unknown.

I felt that it was such an American Thanksgiving and we were wiped out and tight as ticks when it was all done tonight. Isn't that nice :)