When A Plan Comes Together (11/26/2023)

Yesterday, our home resembled a beehive in peak clover time. I watched with amazement as my oldest grandson prepped, cooked, and carved the turkey. Best turkey ever! The kitchen island was like the Atlanta airport runway during holiday travel; something was landing just as something else was taking off. The oven was full of offerings from my granddaughter’s and soon-to-be granddaughter’s kitchens. My son-in-law’s two stuffing dishes were being held on the side, ready for the serving line once the other dishes were ready. And to keep the troops motivated, my son brought cheese and sausage and crackers to nibble upon; it was supplements by my soon to be grandson-in-law’s taco dip and chips. As I stood and watched them all working together to produce the greatest Thanksgiving dinner we have ever enjoyed, I knew that we’d be all right, no matter what, because we were family. I love it when a plan comes together.

No one did everything, but everyone did something. It’s the way it’s supposed to work not just at Thanksgiving but all year long, not just at family gatherings but everywhere we go no matter what we’re doing. The gospel today speaks to that: Jesus’ parable of the judgment of nations. When the king says, “I was hungry, and you gave me food…” the faithful ask when did they do that. And the king responds, “whatever you did for one of the least of these of mine, you did for me.” That’s the point. We are all sisters and brothers, we are all family. Oh, how I pray that someday we will understand, that the LORD’s divine design for unity will be realized and we will find ourselves loving one another as we were created to do. Oh, how I pray someday that plan comes together.

This morning when I went with my coffee to the porch for my wake up conversation with my LORD, the snow was falling ever so gently. It was so still. It was so fresh and new. The moonlight lit up the grassy expanse and the snow resting gently on the pine boughs glistened. “Behold, I make all things new.” I found myself praising the LORD for the gift of wonder and awe, for the beauty of creation, and for new beginnings. I thanked the LORD for “do overs” or as we call it forgiveness and loving mercy. And I prayed to the LORD that we daughters and sons might be moved to come together and do what we are created to do and be whom we were created to be – loving daughters and sons caring for one another, with no one doing everything but everyone doing something. Oh, how I hope that “someday” is near.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.