Thanks

First, a post-Waffle Shop update:  For our four-day downtown holiday event, Christ Church had just over 1,600 guests in the front door while serving about 1,500 lunches.  Every time I passed through the dining room, I was very pleased with the crowd sitting, enjoying their lunches and each others’ company.  A very good event, indeed, for this 82nd running of the waffles.  

Numbers aren’t the real test of a successful Waffle Shop, though.  I always feel that it’s the hospitality offered to the community that is the best part.  We seemed to have folks everywhere in the church enjoying what they were doing.  We had raffle winners for both a flat screen television and an electrified dollhouse, along with lots of shoppers of crafts and discarded ‘treasures.’  

This year, too, we invited organizations that received Waffle Shop outreach grants last round, so they could visit with our guests to tell them just where their Waffle Shop money was actually going and who it was helping.  Thanks to Blue Star Mothers, The Dayton International Peace Museum, Good Shepherd Ministries, and the Delta Phi Zeta Sorority for meeting guests at our outreach table.

Undoubtedly one of the best stories of this year’s Waffle Shop came from our pastor, John Paddock.  He mentioned that one guest he talked to -- a person with lots of time spent downtown -- said that our Waffle Shop was one of the few things in central Dayton where people could gather and still feel like they were part of a downtown community.  Midwestern downtowns, as we know, used to do so much more for their metro areas.  So much shopping and such have now moved out to the suburbs.  It is good to know that a little bit of the vibrant downtown Dayton of yesterday remains, still, in Waffle Shop. 

Second, a big thanks this Friday after for Thanksgiving.  Cindy and I stopped into our local jeweler earlier this week to have a new battery installed in her wristwatch.  As we talked with the gentleman there as he worked, he observed that Thanksgiving is his favorite holiday.  Why?  Well, besides grocery shopping, Thanksgiving simply is not a commercial holiday.  You don’t have to buy anything to make it a success.  Shoot, you don’t even have to send a card.  All you need to do is gather with family and friends, break bread, and feel good about your own blessings.  I rather like that simple take on a holiday that is people- and meal-centered.  For a church-going guy, Thanksgiving has a real eucharist feel.  I like that, too. 

But all was not joyous in the family this Thanksgiving.  My son-in-law’s father, fighting cancer, had to spend Thanksgiving day at the James Cancer Center at Ohio State.  The original plan was for his whole family crew to join him and his lovely wife for a feast at their Vandalia home.  All the plans had been made and menu items divided out among all participants.  But then this required hospital emergency came up and everything changed at the last minute.  Cindy and I were happy we could set up another table at our place and have the part of their family left in town join in our feast.  

Also, my nephew’s middle child has had a horrible last couple of weeks.  The young man had been in school ten or so days ago when he got sick.  Before we knew it, he was in Dayton Children’s Hospital with major complications.  Story was his parents almost lost him one night when a lung collapsed.  Much prayer has been made in this little guy’s name, I can tell you.  His mom and dad were left speechless with the torrent of sentiment sent their way via the internet, especially Facebook.  Cindy was mightily impressed, too.  Good for social media! 

So, thanks.  Thanks to you for reading The Back Porch.  Thanks to the family who could join us for Thanksgiving yesterday.  Thanks to our friends, the Issas, for being part of that family again this year.  Thanks to Mom for joining us.  Thanks for a warm, safe house and a place for us to gather and be thankful.  

Thanksgiving is, indeed, a fine holiday where just being grateful is what it’s all about.  For that I am thankful, too. 

Today’s Elder Idea:  We’ve made a tradition of offering a special prayer every year at our Thanksgiving table.  This year Cindy Lou cobbled together a few ideas for this special edition: 

Lord God of our Fathers and Mothers; 

God of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, 

and Jacob, Leah, and Rachel; 

God and Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ: 

Open our eyes to see your hand at work in the world about us.  We commend to your gracious care those who are suffering in body, mind, and spirit, especially Bill and Jake and their families.  And we ask you to defend, strengthen, and encourage all the men and women of our armed forces and their families, especially Elvin, as they face the perils which beset them. 

Let the grace of this Thanksgiving meal make us one body, one spirit, that we may worthily serve the world in Your name.  Amen.  

Thank you, Cindy Lou, for such a beautiful prayer.  I love you.