"Gathering with Gratitude" by Laura Rodgers

Looking at social media can definitely cause mental ups and downs. On this past Sunday night - Mother’s Day – while scrolling through countless posts filled with smiling friends and family, posing arm and arm with loved ones they haven’t seen in many months, I smiled. The positive feelings of sharing long-awaited times together are such a relief.

Gary and I welcomed family to our house Sunday afternoon to celebrate Mother’s Day and my mom’s birthday – falling on the same day this year and giving us a great reason to get together for the first time since a garage and driveway gathering at Christmas.

We gathered around a fire pit and tried to keep warm as temperatures hovered in the mid 50’s and the sun worked to break up the clouds. Our kids and their cousins ran around with bare feet and jumped on the trampoline, while the adults added layers and zipped our jackets all the way up.

We formed a circle and held hands to pray together – all 16 of us. We shared a meal. We took precautions that have been learned and reinforced over the past year like washing hands diligently, using paper and plastic ware, having single serving snacks, using tongs to serve food, and spreading out to three tables scattered through the house. Being vaccinated helped to calm our nerves as we gathered and minimized our time indoors.

Looking now at the pictures we took, I can see the change in our faces as some of the worry and stress over the virus has faded. The kids relaxed and reconnected as they saw the adults do the same.

We continue to look to the health experts and follow their guidance, and these renewed connections are refreshing. It is so nice to add prayers of repeated thanksgiving to my prayers for health and safety. “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” 1 Chronicles 16:34