Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

EN(dur)ANCE by Robin Gudal

I love all things THANKSgiving. The smells, the color pallet, the celebrations and the anticipation and preparation for the birth celebration of my Savior!

This year we are blessed to be in New York with our son. We have traveled there several times throughout the 10 plus years he has lived in the big city!

One year we had the blessing of being front-row spectators at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Our son is very organized — like me — and has taken us to many of the must-see sights of New York. It is usually a fast-paced time of experiencing the sights, sounds, arts and culinary delights of the city.

As I reflect on my blessings this season, I can make the list short: Christ’s saving grace for me, my family and my friends, and a career I love.

Under friends, I include each of you who may or may not know me but read this column. Thank you!

Many of you encourage me with words of affirmation, and I also thank you for that. It is a bit scary putting oneself out there for all to see, know and read.

If you are in a space of life that is difficult, and we all have that season, please remember we can be thankful even in the less-than-I-expected seasons of life.

“We thank thee for our daily bread,

For faith by which the soul is fed,

For burdens given us to bear,

For help that lifts the heart’s despair.

We thank thee, Lord, for eyes to see,

The truth that makes, and keep us free:

For faults — and for the strength to mend them,

For dreams — and courage to defend them.

We have so much to thank thee for,

Dear Lord, we beg but one boon more:

Peace in the hearts of all man living,

Peace in the whole world on this Thanksgiving.” — Joseph Auslander, poet, novelist, first Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 1937-1941

Robin (Beckman) Gudal is intentional in life, a wife, momma, nana, friend and a flawed and imperfect follower of Jesus.