Beyond Words (11/24/2025)

Yesterday, my family celebrated our Thanksgiving early. There were 17 of us ranging in age from 13 to 78. They came from Sun Prairie and Edgerton, Milwaukee and the west side of Madison, and Oshkosh. They brought the stuffing, mashed potatoes, brussel sprouts, gourmet dips and pretzels, pumpkin pie, Rice Krispie bars, ice cream, rolls, corn bread muffins, and King Hawaiian rolls. I provided the space, roasted the turkey, made the traditional green bean casserole and gravy. And for me, it was like getting a glimpse into heaven.

We came together, the conversation was rich and loud, punctuated by laughter. We prayed, we ate together, we shared our lives and to the person, there was joy. We celebrated birthdays and gave thanks for our lives, our family, and the abundance of life in the LORD. We chipped in on clean up and there wasn’t a single complaint.

And then we worked to dig Christmas out of the basement, carry it upstairs, and set it up. My husband and I need help getting it all upstairs. The taller members helped put up the wreaths. The ones with an eye for design helped “fluff” the tree and hang the ornaments. And when everything was up, we said our goodbyes and promised we’d all be together again on December 24^th. There were lots of hugs and “Love you; mean it” spoken.

One of my high points was my 26-year-old grandson’s request for a crucifix for his home. I took him to our master bedroom, showed him the crucifix my husband and I received for our wedding that has hung in our room for 56 years. He said he’d love it for his home. And we took it off the wall and he took it home. When he got home, he hung it and sent me a photo via text message.

I went to the porch to reflect. And as the memories of this time replayed in my head, the LORD understood, I believe, that I didn’t have words for the peace, love and joy I felt. And so, the LORD and I did what we often do in times like today. We just were together.

Some days are just beyond words but our LORD can read hearts, so it works.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.