“Thankful for Shoulders”

I was Thinking…

This time of year reminds me of excitement. Thanksgiving was a time for a journey to my maternal grandmothers in Cedar Grove, Georgia. Oh how she could make dressing and pound cake…I can almost taste it as I write. On the following Friday (now called Black Friday) as a family we would go to South Dekalb Mall for shopping and to see ‘The REAL Santa Claus’ (at least that is how it was advertised and who was I to doubt advertisement).

One year upon our arrival we had not anticipated the large crowd that had gathered. There were wall to wall people waiting with great anticipation to visit with the ‘REAL Santa Claus’. My baby sister (not a baby anymore…I will not tell you her age but let’s just say she is approaching the BIG 50…but you didn’t hear that from me) was five or six and there was no way she could see above the crowd of people. Therefore I placed her on my shoulders where she could see the place where Santa Claus was to appear. We waited and we waited. Then all of a sudden I knew Santa had arrived. Not because I could see him but because I could feel the excitement that began to bounce and wiggle on my shoulders. Kaye could see above the crowd because I had lifted her onto my shoulders. It was a joy and excitement that only a child could convey.

There are times when life gets crowded for all of us and it becomes difficult to see ‘the forest for the trees’. We can only see what ‘isn’t’ rather than what ‘is’. We can only see what we ‘can’t do’ rather than what we ‘might do’. We can only see the pain and hardly see the blessing. Sometimes we need to be lifted onto someone’s shoulders in order to experience the excitement and joy of life.

This Thanksgiving I’m thankful for all the shoulders I have stood upon. From grandparents to parents to mentors to friends to faithful examples of love and grace have all encouraged my life and my faith. For whatever the reason when I couldn’t know the excitement and joy of life, they lifted me to a place where I could see in a different way…from a different perspective. It is exciting to be alive and I thank God for shoulders. I thank God for you, Atlanta-Marietta District…you are the best in all of United Methodism. Sharon and I wish you and yours a very blessed and Happy Thanksgiving.

Always Thinking…

Terry