Thanksgiving a la mode

Bringing a spiritual perspective to daily life

Thanksgiving Eve. Busy day. Nearing midnight. Need to bake pies for tomorrow. Phone rings. Son desperately ill. Can I come? "Where are you?" (Just moved to new apartment 40 miles away.) Mumbled directions. Not clear. "I'll be there." Wake his dad. "Mike needs me. I'm going. Call you in the morning."

Off I go into the snowstorm. No plows were out, and I could only drive 10 to 20 miles an hour. I prayed all the way. "You're with me, Father, right?"

"Right. I'm with you. Keep praying. Stay close to Me. Trust Me. Hear My voice. Nothing can separate you from Me - not for a moment."

"What about Mike?"

"I'm with him, too. He's My son. I'm his Father-Mother. Nothing can pluck him out of My hands."

"Show me where he is." I found his house, and fortunately the door was unlocked, because he was in no condition to open it. He hadn't kept any food down all day. I nursed him, bathing his face and hands, freshening his bed, assuring him of God's ever-present care, and I continued to pray throughout the night.

My prayer went something like this: "God, You're his Father and his Mother. Nothing can pluck him out of Your hands. I know You're the giver of health and healing. I know You keep all of Your children whole and safe. Thank You for Your tender mothering care. Thank You for Your strong fathering love embracing him right now and always."

Dawn broke, and he was no better. Was he expected at his church to help with the special Thanksgiving Day service? Yes, he mumbled, he should be there by 9:30. I looked at my watch and heard myself say, "Oh, good, that's a whole hour - plenty of time to be healed!"

In a few moments, he gently drifted off for the first rest he'd had all night. He slept soundly, peacefully. So I called the church to say he wouldn't be there, and kept right on praying - a prayer of deep gratitude for God's goodness, power, and intensive, unending care.

I called home and told the family we'd be there in time for dinner.

"Sure?"

"Yes, sure."

About noon, he woke, entirely well!

Later, he said when he heard that an hour was plenty of time to be healed, he suddenly knew, really knew, that he could be healed. He wasn't afraid anymore, and he felt free. We headed for home with the sun shining brightly.

What about dinner? His dad had it all ready - a full, delicious Thanksgiving Day meal.

Happy hearts. Grateful hearts. Sure hearts (and full stomachs!). Sure that nothing can ever pluck anyone out of God's mothering, fathering, loving hands.

Wait a minute! What about the pies? Bake them now? Yes. Now.

Thanksgiving evening. Apple pie and pumpkin pie a la mode for all to top off a full night and day of thanksgiving to God.

"To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, to-day is big with blessings" (Mary Baker Eddy's first words in her book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures"). Amen!

It is a good thing to give

thanks unto the Lord, and

to sing praises unto thy name,

O most High: to shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every

night .... For thou, Lord, hast

made me glad through

thy work: I will triumph

in the works of thy hands.

Psalms 92:1, 2, 4

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