It’s Thankful Thursday, and this week, we’re doubly thankful. Because here in the states it’s Turkey Day. (Thanksgiving)
Each week at ATB, we take a chance to step back and share some of the things for which we are really thankful about our time on staff with a missionary organization. This week, let’s appropriately talk about the holidays. When we were on staff, we often complained about all the holiday travel. The grass is most certainly more green on the other side of the fence, as they say. Because now we look back and see that though there were some weird holiday travel issues (can anyone say a winter conference that caused us to miss at least one Christmas celebration per year?), overall we had it really good with respect to the freedom to travel and see family during the holiday.
Not only were we given the freedom to travel during the holidays, every year I was on staff I was given the entire week off for Thanksgiving (it’s tough to connect with students that week, anyways) and we enjoyed a nice long break for Christmas as well. We used that time not just for travel, but to amass some material for a future blog about the perils and hilarity of raising support. (More on that every Monday and Wednesday, every week.) But we were downright spoiled when it came to the ability to travel, for the most part, during the holidays.
As “missionaries” in the states (I know that some wouldn’t call us such, and we’re cool with that…) we realize how good we have it. Many of my faithful readers are around the world, hours of air-travel from loved ones, and even if they could travel during the holidays, it would be cost prohibitive. I want to recognize that, and send out a big thank you to those of you who have literally “forsaken father and mother for the sake of the kingdom.” Your sacrifices point us to Christ’s sacrifice.
So as we enjoy the grace of a warm meal with family on this Thanksgiving day, we are reminded of how truly thankful we are. See you tomorrow!