Mary and Martha

I have a confession. I have a big Thanksgiving meal planned with all our relatives this year, but I won’t be doing any of the cooking. I’m going to buy all the fixings and warm them up. I’m sure that I’ll put some effort into meal preparations, but most of my energy will go into family time and conversations. I want to enjoy every minute of this long weekend with my family. I haven’t seen my son in months, and my oldest daughter is in college so and I don’t see her much either. I want to be like Mary and not Martha. Mary, as some of you know, was the one that sat at Jesus’s feet enjoying his presence, while Martha was so concerned about the meal and what to serve the guests. Martha had an important role, but if I had to choose whom to be, I’d be Mary! Sometimes we get so busy that we forget how to make the best of our relationships. This year, I’m going to sit, listen, and converse on all the things I have missed in my children’s lives.“But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, ‘Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!’ ‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’” (Luke 10:40-42) Another tradition we have as part of our Thanksgiving meal is talking about the many things we are thankful for. We share and reminisce about the things that God has done for us this year. I look forward to hearing family members share how the Lord has blessed them throughout this year. My Thanksgiving prayer this year is that the Lord of the Harvest who gives us what we need will also bring the unity that our nation experienced at the first Thanksgiving celebration. When we have a thankful heart, and we direct our thankfulness to God and work together in unity and love, we can accomplish what the Pilgrims and Indians accomplished in the autumn of 1621-- a feast after their first successful harvest. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with great memories and remember to thank the Lord for his blessings. Enjoy his presence, just like Mary did.