The 2020 holiday season is looking far different than any other we’ve experienced. While Thanksgiving presented its own challenges in terms of gathering together, the Advent season is special in that festivities tend to be scheduled through the entire month of December. This year, as we are called to stay home and remain physically distant, we may all be grieving the loss of our “normal holiday.” For those who have lost a loved one, this holiday season may seem even more daunting, as the friends and family you could normally rely on for support and companionship during the holidays may not feel comfortable expanding their quarantine bubble. As we all continue to navigate this unprecedented time, there are some creative ways to stay connected to those you love while also staying safe.
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We are lucky to live in a very modern world. While nothing can replace being…
“Perhaps it takes a purer faith to praise God for unrealized blessings than for those we once enjoyed or those we enjoy now.”
A.W. Tozer
Our last Thanksgiving with my granddad (2017)
How do we give real thanks this year when our culture expects us to be ever-shiny and abundantly grateful? The holidays are hard enough already.
The empty seats at the Thanksgiving table are painful reminders of those we have loved and lost. The closing of the year highlights all of the things that should have happened but did not. Family gatherings call to our minds wrecked expectations. And for those of us with anxiety and depression, the pressure to be merry and bright can be crushing.
And this year?
Over 250,000 American lives lost to COVID-19. Millions of jobs gone. Routines halted. Plans cancelled. Families separated. Communities dismantled.
We are all grieving. There doesn’t seem to be a lot…