Opinion

Checking the Thanksgiving list

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

A little of this and that

* Tomorrow, most of us will sit down to a table groaning under the weight of our abundance.

Some of us won't.

A recent study indicates that in 2005 there were some 35.1 million people in the United States who did not "always have access to enough food for an active, healthy lifestyle." (Associated Press) The official term for this condition is "Hunger Insecure."

I am supposing that the planned feast at my table is beyond their wildest dreams, though our menu is modest since it's just the two of us this year.

In 1974, we spent Thanksgiving and Christmas in Wichita, Kan. A bleak time was had by all. We had a turkey for Thanksgiving, only because we won it at a pool tournament at a local dive. It was a sorry sight. No stuffing, no mashed potatoes or gravy, no pumpkin pie. It was our own fault. Impulsive decisions made without a thought to the possible consequences led to our meager celebrations that year. We learned some hard lessons about responsible living in those three short Wichita months that have held us in good stead since, but oh, how we would have welcomed any addition to that menu.

This time of year, there are many who are tending to the less fortunate, which is at it should be. But this is as it should be -- all year long.

"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'" Matthew 25:37-40

* Comedian Michael Richards, best known for his portrayal of Kramer on the Seinfeld show, shocked a comedy club audience Friday night with racial epithets and slurs directed at a couple of hecklers in that audience. Would he have been so free with his caustic comments if he had known he was being recorded? I think not. He obviously cared little what this small group thought and gave free rein to his emotions. His subsequent "apology" left much to be desired. And his claim that "I am not a racist" strained the bounds of credibility. After all, it is during times of extremity, when we come to the end of ourselves, that our true selves are revealed.

"But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.'" Matthew 15:18

* Back in the day, "no child left behind" meant counting heads before driving off. Back in 1967, on a funeral journey to Iowa, Mom and Dad failed to do a head count at a filling station in Lincoln, leaving my younger brother, probably 10 at the time, behind. We hadn't gotten too far down the road when I counted heads and called out, "Where's Dave?" Dad took the next exit and returned to the filling station before Dave even had half a chance to finish the orange soda some kind person had purchased for him. Comfort food, I guess. The rest of us gave him a hard time for the remainder of the journey. After all, none of us got an orange soda. Thankfully, he hasn't been left behind in matters of faith. He is waiting, this week, to find out how dire his cancer diagnosis actually is. In spite of his natural fear, his heart is more concerned about his wife and children than himself and he is standing tall.

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." Psalm 23:4

* Occasionally, authors will send copies of their literary efforts in for review. Such was the case earlier this week, when I received a copy of "Indictments on Life" by Omaha native Steven Miserez. The book is decidedly dark -- despair and desolation on every page. The author, a retired police officer who obviously feels as though he has paid his dues and is therefore entitled to his cynical view of man, makes no apology for that. Even though I found the terse statements disturbing, I was, nevertheless, compelled to read every word. Kind of like a bad accident on the freeway -- you know what's coming isn't good, but you just can't tear your eyes away. Equally disturbing, however, were the dark truths and the unfortunate ring of familiarity to some of his brief observations. One has to wonder, however, if his surname was somehow a self-fulfilling prophecy.

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -- think about such things." Philippians 4:9

So, brothers and sisters -- as you sit down to your feast, however elaborate or simple -- pause for a moment. Have you enough? Even enough to share?

Has the Lord afflicted you with color blindness, at least as far as skin color is concerned?

Has faith found you, in spite of your health, in spite of your bank account, in spite of the empty chairs at the table?

And finally, are you able to see the light of the Lord shining through the deepest darkness?

If so, give thanks.

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." I Thessalonians 5:18

Things you won't see in heaven: Empty plates

All Scripture citations are NIV

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