This past Thanksgiving and Christmas have been strange. I am a big fan of both
holidays, and I thoroughly enjoy spending time with my family, sharing food,
telling stories, and laughing. Inside this guy lives a little boy who still gets excited
about Christmas, too.
In my house, we have a rule: if you quit believing in Santa Claus, you get clothes
for Christmas. I don’t get clothes for Christmas—ever. However, if we were
closer to the next Christmas, I’d be tempted to share my sizes—not clothing, but
ammo.
You’ve probably heard the adage, “The only difference between a man and a boy
is the price of his toys.” That’s me.
I love Christmas. Our house is far enough off the road that nobody can easily see
our Christmas lights. Who puts up Christmas lights every year anyway? Yes,
that’s me again. How Christmas obsessive am I? I like to go outside at night and
enjoy them on my own.
But this year was challenging. My mom passed away the day after New Year’s
2024. We just observed the first anniversary of her death. So, this past
Thanksgiving and Christmas were the first major holidays in my short 62 years of
life without Mom.
My family had plenty to celebrate. We are still incredibly blessed. Like always,
there was food, family, and laughter. But the holidays just felt different this time.
The matriarch was missing, and there was a conspicuously empty seat at the
table. We were all conscious of the huge difference from the previous years.
It was one thing to experience my grief. It was quite another to watch my dad
navigate what was for him his first Christmas without Mom in 63 years. There is
much living in 63 years—more memories than you can comprehend. I did the
math: I’d have to stay married and live to 125 to experience that many memories.
It is sometimes said, and something I’ve experienced, that losing a spouse is like
losing a leg. You must learn how to walk and live again.
Nobody ever said life wouldn’t be challenging. If you are reading this, I expect
you have your own set of challenges, difficulties, and experiences. If I could
impart one thing learned from losing a spouse, a child, and a mom, it would be
that God is always faithful—always, even when it doesn’t feel that way in the
moment.

“The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Those who
know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search
for you.” (Psalms‬ 9‬:9‬-10‬ NLT‬‬)
Blessings to you and yours!