There Is Always An Extra Table On Thanksgiving

When I think of Thanksgiving, I can't help but recall my precious grandparents.

My Grandpa Glen was a purple heart, WWII hero turned pastor who learned to cook like a five-star chef for his platoon during the war. He made everything from scratch and put as much love into his food as he did into his sermons when he settled into post-war life. Together, he and my Grandmother Mary, a WWII nurse, partnered with God to transform their trauma into triumph. They pastored and planted churches in the U.S. and developing nations over 60+ years in ministry. They were an unstoppable force for good and hospitality, one of their greatest contributions, surfaced beautifully during the holidays. 
 

There was always an extra table or two set on Thanksgiving for the heartbroken. This aspect of their ministry flowed from a quantity of quality time spent within the family of God, a process in which they went beyond simply knowing faces and into discerning real-time needs.
 

And when their table was too small, they didn’t opt out of love and generosity, they just built a bigger table. When there weren’t enough chairs, they borrowed an extra 10.


In Spanish, we have a saying: "el que quiere puede," which means "He who wants to can."
 

Reflecting on my life and experiences with them, I've gathered three valuable lessons.

I don’t know where you find yourself this Thanksgiving season. Maybe it's easy to be grateful or maybe you find yourself among the heartbroken.


I invite you to take some time to sit with Psalm 34 and to revisit the vulnerable and hopeful words of the psalmist.


My prayer for you: May you look to Him and be “radiant with joy” in the light of His Presence.


1 I will praise the Lord at all times.
   I will constantly speak his praises.

2 I will boast only in the Lord;

let all who are helpless take heart.

3 Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness;
    let us exalt his name together.

4 I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me.
    He freed me from all my fears.

5 Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy;
    no shadow of shame will darken their faces.

6 In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened;
    he saved me from all my troubles.

7 For the angel of the Lord is a guard;
    he surrounds and defends all who fear him.

8 Taste and see that the Lord is good.
    Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!

Psalm 34:1-8

Tanya Godsey
Spiritual Director