The Gift

I grew up in a fun, loving, and fun loving family. Our Sunday night gatherings often included a meal with 15 or more seated around the table, most of us laughing so hard we were crying. Those meals, however, always began with us holding hands - including the little chubby ones of whatever small child was sitting in the old high chair - and singing our Moravian blessing. Be present at out table Lord, be here and everywhere adored. From Thine all bounteous hands this food, may we receive with gratitude. I don't know where that blessing came from, but I know where it's going.

Over the years , though the family is scattered from Minnesota to Pennsylvania to New Jersey to Maine, the blessing is always sung when any of us get together. So we, of course, continued to sing it in our family as our children grew up. Last year we were gathered at my daughter's house for a meal. Both daughters were there with their sons, Connor and Tucker. The boys were barely three years old and had been present at all our family meals. But this time would be different. We all held hands, bowed our heads, and began to sing. Now, if you have grandchildren, you know you keep one eye slit open to watch their faces during times like these. The boys were just watching and listening. We finished singing, dropped hands and then heard Tucker's little voice, "Again, sing it again." Through tears and smiles, we did just that.

There were double singings of the blessing for most of the family meals during the year. And Connor and Tucker were soon singing the words, despite not knowing what they meant. But through the singing, they were learning what family meant. Last Sunday the boys came with their moms to decorate a gingerbread train - perhaps a new tradition in the making? Before beginning we had a quick lunch. The boys were seated with their bowls of mac and cheese when Tucker said, "Mama, let's sing the Lord be present song." We held hands, we sang, and He was present in the gift of those two little boys.

May you, too, have a blessed holiday with your gift of family and friends.