Saturday, December 6, 2008

The First Thanksgiving


Last week we celebrated the first Thanksgiving without Mom. The Longhorn and Aggie wings of the Johnson family met in Austin for the annual Thanksgiving football match. We enjoyed the cool weather, TONS of bbq at the Salt Lick, and of course THE game. (49-9, Texas won)
As I sat around with my family thinking of all that I'm grateful for...good health, a job that I love, amazing friends and family, a free and democratic country and above all, my Heavenly father, I couldn't help but think of Mom. My heart still aches when I think about life without her. Not an hour goes by that I don't think about her. She loved the holidays. She relished any chance to celebrate, decorate, cook and most of all, spent time with her family. Even if we didn't always share Thansksgiving Day together, we were always celebrating together in spirit. This year, though most of the family was actually together in person, Mom was noticeably absent...but her spirit lives on in all of us.


This year, the thing I'm most grateful for is my Mother. The blessing of her in my life as a teacher, mentor and friend, is above all that I could have ever hoped for. I'm grateful that God gave her to me for 32 years, and I'm grateful for the impact she had in my life and the lives of countless others.

3 comments:

Barney Sarver said...
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Barney Sarver said...

Yes it was a different Thanksgiving this year without Cheri with us. There was and is a big hole where she should be. Her legacy of love, encouragement, grace and blessing are all around us though. As I observed the interacting of my kids with their aunts, uncles, cousins and friends during our Thanksgiving meal at Saltlick I saw those characteristics of Cheri within her children.

Thank you Lord for the 34 years of marriage you allowed me to have with such a beautiful and gracious woman. I am alive and a better man for having been her husband.

Morgan said...

my heart still hurts everytime i think of Cheri not being here.. the holidays, nor any day, isn't the same without her.
I was truly blessed to have her as my aunt. I thank God for all the good memories I have with her, especially during the holidays