Thanksliving

The nursery was quiet and still. No sounds echoed in the darkened corridors of the Home. A place that was normally teeming with the activities and shouts of dozens of children now seemed unnatural in its peace and calm. It was Thanksgiving Day and all of the children had been taken to various places for the holiday meal. Some to volunteer families' homes, some to homes of the employees of the Home, and others to a local church's dinner. Everyone had been given a chance to experience the expressions of thanksgiving and love, everyone except one.

Far down the hallway in the last room on the right, an enclosed bed sat tucked away in the corner, its occupant seemingly forgotten. No noise came from the bed apart from an occasional grunt and a shifting sound. After a time, the sound of heels striking against the hardwood floor of the hallway approached the room, breaking the heavy silence. Two aides came into the room and crossed to the bed. "Hey Buddy," crooned the shorter of the two, "How are you?" She stroked the rigid hand clenched tightly against the chest. Vacant eyes stared up at the women. "His meds are due in about 10 minutes or so," said the other aide, looking at a log chart. "Do you really want to stay here the whole time with him Dani? We could just give him his medicine and then go eat those Turkey day dinners they donated to the Home. We can watch him in the monitors and hanging out in the common room wouldn't be so bad." "No thanks Anna. You go on home to your family. I don't mind staying here with him until the other kids get back." replied Dani, reaching out to cover the spastic legs with a fleece blanket. "O.K. Call if you need anything." The echo of Anna's footsteps gradually receded down the hall, leaving Dani alone with her charge. She lowered the metal railing and bent over the stiff figure that was rocking slightly. "Come on Anto, let's get you some Thanksgiving dinner."

Twenty minutes later, Dani had completed the arduous task of wrestling the rigid boy into a eating chair, strapping down his flailing extremities, and securing a bib of twice the normal size around his neck. "Alright mister, here's your very own turkey, dressing, and mashed potatoes with gravy, pureed to especial perfection." Dani inserted the first bite of the gooey mixture into the gaping mouth and waited for Anto to register that something was actually in there. Presently, the gumming and grinding began and Dani patiently began the long process of feeding Anto. Again she put more food into his mouth and again most of it fell out or was spit out, only to be scooped up and put back yet again. At last, the pains-taking ordeal was done and after the equally challenging job of changing the boy's diaper, Dani settled into a rocker with Anto who seemed like a over-sized baby with his long thin legs and big round head. As she rocked, Anto doubled up his legs and began to giggle softly. "Poor sweet boy," murmured Dani against his head. "They all thought you'd just be too much trouble for anyone to deal with...that their meal would be too disrupted by your neediness." A tear slid down Dani's cheek as she hugged the little boy tighter. "But they just don't know how much they are missing. The blessings that they could have received and been thankful for. The ones that I am thankful for." Dani rubbed Anto's back. "On this Thanksgiving Day Anto, I want to say thank you for being the miracle that you are. For showing me that there is so much more to life than the normal parameters allow. I know you will never be able to express any gratitude or love so here's mine for you." She bent down to lay place a kiss on Anto's cheek as he rocked himself in her lap, grunting and making other odd noises. Dani continued to rock even after Anto fell asleep and even as the sounds of returning people began to filter into the room. Finally, as the shadows lengthened across the room, the rocker slowed to a stop. Laying her cheek against Anto's, whispered words fell from Dani's lips.

"Thanksgiving is a time of cheer
To celebrate the warmth
Of family so near
But not for you.

It's a time of plenty
Where food, love, and laughter
Are shared by many
But not for you.

Thanks is given for much
And many prayers are said
For blessings and such
But not for you.

But in the heavens above
The mighty angels sing songs
Of pure joy and love
And it's all for you."

Dani rose and lifted Anto back into his railed bed. Tenderly covering him with his blankets, she bent down, put her lips against his ear and spoke three more words; "Happy Thanksgiving Anto."

Many of us have fond memories of Thanksgiving Day; I know I do anyway. The family, friends, fellowship, and of course, the food! This past Sunday I participated in a church Thanksgiving meal and was privileged to lead the congregation in singing "For the Beauty of the Earth". In one of the verses, it talks about the joy of human love "brother, sister, parent, child". As I was getting ready to go up and play, I started thinking about all those who don't know the joy of human love or have no family to be thankful for. I know I have been feeling a few pangs of loneliness because I am not able to be with the ones I love this Thanksgiving, but imagine if you had no one to miss and no one to miss you. I pondered over the unfairness-why it is that so many have this fate, particularly those who are less lovable. The boy in the story is just fiction but the reality is real; we pass over those who are unable to express love and gratitude more easily because it seems like a waste to expend emotion on them and because we believe they won't miss it anyways. But justification of neglect always falls flat. It got me thinking; what if families focused outward instead of inward at Thanksgiving? What if they opened up their circles to include the fatherless, the neglected, the handicapped? Isn't that the point of thanksgiving anyways? To give thanks, not just in word but in deed. By letting our gratitude for our blessings spill out and into the lives of others. Anto had someone who was like that for him, but what of all the others? The mentally and physically handicapped orphans of Eastern Europe who lay tied to their beds for days, months, years. The starving orphans of North Korea, their swollen bellies never having known a real meal. The special needs children languishing in hospitals and hospices of affluent North America because no one wants to shoulder the burden of their care. The kids in the projects of North Tulsa whose lives are filled with violence and broken homes. Who will be the ones to pour themselves out for the least of these?

So, my prayer for all of you, my family and friends, is that this would be an action oriented Thanksgiving. Let's not just give thanks on Thanksgiving, let's LIVE thanks.

Erika's Gift

There once was an ordinary little girl who lived in a very ordinary world and did many ordinary things. One day, she was walking along when she happened upon a small silver box. "How curious," she thought, as she knelt down to pick it up. On the box was a white tag which read "Open me and receive a gift that will bring joy and pain, suffering and sorrow, sweetness and delight. Keep me closed and remain safe from all." She shivered with anticipation at the descriptions of goodness, cringed at the words of harshness.
She considered a long while, then with a quick motion removed the bow topped lid. "Oh how dreadfully disappointing. There's nothing inside." She stared down into the empty box for a moment and then replaced the lid and put the box back where she found it. "I should have known it would be nothing because nothing exciting or extraordinary ever happens to me," she thought as she walked away.

Time passed and the little girl grew into a young woman. She continued to live a very ordinary life filled with ordinary tasks like washing pile after pile of dirty dishes, tending to the needs of small children, cooking and baking endless meals, and dozens of other household chores. And despite her busyness, she also found time for ordinary volunteering and education.
Late one night as she lay in her bed drowsily considering all that lay before her the next day, a light suddenly appeared in the room. Startled, she looked up to see a beautiful lady dressed in white gazing at her with intense eyes and a gentle smile. "Who are you? What do you wha-," the girl began, but as she was forming the questions, the lady held up her hand. "I know you have many questions about me. There is a time and place for questions but now is not the time. My errand has one concern only and that is you." "Me? I am the reason you are here?" queried the girl curiously. "Yes. I am here to help you See," the lady of beauty answered. "See? I can see fine,"came the girl's quick defensive reply. "You can only see what you perceive is reality. I am here to help you see what is true and real. The Dimension of Truth we call it. I will take you there now."

The room began to spin and soon it was whirling so fast the girl was afraid she might be sick. But then the motion suddenly slowed and through the haze, the girl could perceive prism like lights and shadowy forms which gradually became various people and colors as her focus grew. As she gazed around her, the girl could see bright gems shimmering in the inside of all the people around her. There was a strangely familiar feel to the whole atmosphere and as she focused more, she began to recognize the people as her family and friends. "What is happening?" she asked. "Why do they all have those precious gems inside them?" "You put them there," the beautiful lady said smilingly. "Me? No, no, I couldn't have. You must be confused," said the girl in a state of bewilderment. "No, it was you and only you," the lady reiterated with a small laugh. "But, how? I am just an ordinary girl without any special powers or extraordinary gifts," stammered the confused girl. "Oh, but you do have a gift, a very special and powerful one. Think back to the day you found a mysterious box and the inscription on that box which described all the risks and delights of its contents. You opened the box knowing that the gift would bring those things and yet you were willing to accept this double sided offering. You thought the box was empty but in fact, that day you DID receive a gift. One that is not perceptible to the ordinary senses. It is called The Compassionate Servant's Heart. Look down. You can see it now." The girl looked down at the area where her heart was located and there, gleaming with an inner glow, was an exquisite gem sparkling with myriads of colors. She gasped in amazement. "I never knew it was there" she whispered, gazing in rapt wonder. "Those who have the gift never do know" said the lady. "They are always too busy giving it away to notice what a treasure they really have." "I have been giving away my gift without ever having the knowledge of its possession?" asked the girl, still trying to understand. "Yes, and therein lies the real beauty and power of this gift. Because the possessor is unaware of their gift, they constantly give it away through the smallest of actions and the most insignificant of words. Watch now and see what the power of your gift has done."

The girl directed her attention in the direction the beautiful woman pointed and as she watched, scenes from her life began to unfold. But now she saw them through unveiled eyes and she stared as she saw the glittering diamonds drip from her fingers into the sudsy dishwater, extraordinary rubies with heart shapes explode from her chest into others as she hugged them, fed them, and gave them medicine, baths, and all forms of love and care, breathtakingly shaped sapphires and topaz stones roll from her tongue as she sang songs at work or to small ears. In the dull, gray landscape of her life, the colors of her gift began to so transform and change it that soon the shimmer and sparkle was hard to bear. But as she looked on with a feeling of intense pleasure, the girl started to feel sharp jabs of pain. "Oh, what is that pain?" she gasped, stunned by its force. "Now you are feeling both sides of your gift. In its impartation, sometimes the gift will cost you great pain and sorrow. At times it must be given in the most humbling and lowliest of circumstances. The Compassionate Servant's Heart has to be broken sometimes in order for you to bestow it," explained the lady with a sympathetic look. The girl, bowed by the intensity of suffering, wished silently that she had never opened the box, never accepted this wonderful gift with its terrible responsibility. But as she considered a life without her gift, she remembered the colorless landscape and lifeless faces which had preceded it. "No I would not change it, even to give myself a better life or situation, free of pain and subservient duties. If I can help bring but a little change to the world around me with my gift, then it is worth all the unpleasantness to gain the pleasure." "You have chosen wisely," a silvery voice said as the air began to swirl and swim around her.

Dawn was breaking as the girl sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes wearily. "That was not a restful night," she thought. "I can't remember any of my dream but it must have been a real adventure because I'm exhausted!" The girl got up and began to go about her usual ordinary tasks but unconsciously there was an extra tenderness in her touch, softness in her voice, and eagerness in her service. And even though the girl never remembered the dream or the beautiful lady who had helped her See, the lingering effects of that subconscious knowledge continue to impact and be felt by all those around her. And I am one of them.

This story was written as a tribute to my sister Erika, whose birthday it happens to be today. She is the possessor of a Compassionate Servant's Heart and I can't think of all the ways in which she has blessed me and many others by her loving heart, crinkly-eyed smile and infectious laugh, her service, and her joyous spirit. All those who know her love her and this is the reason: because the compassionate servant heart of the Savior, Jesus, beats inside her. I know this probably better than most because I was her roommate (and restless bunk mate) for many years. That alone is testimony of her gracious heart! Erika is not only a sister to me, she is also a best friend, a true companion, and best of all, a sister in Christ. She is one of a kind and I just want to say "Happy, Happy Birthday to you Erk! I love you and miss you more than I will ever let on."