Canadian Thanksgiving

The weather was chilly and cloudy in the last little while. But since last Sunday, it has changed to become sunny. The air is a little crisp and dry and the mornings still chilly (I had to wear my hat and gloves when I went jogging this morning!). It's just autumn's way to say hello upon arrival, I suppose. However, they are predicting a summer-like weekend with simmering temperatures, complete with summer-like humidex! Jason came home from University of Western Ontario for the Thanksgiving weekend. So, we'll have all four of us at home for a change. I guess we'll have B-B-Q if possible, which will be our first in this whole summer!! It surely will also be our last before winter comes roaring in.

This morning as I sat and prayed before breakfast, my heart was filled with thankfulness for my family. Over the years without having to say much, Josephine and I have been able to teach Michelle and Jason many of our religious values and the way we see the meaning of life simply by living and interacting with them day in and day out as a family. We know that because it's showing in the way they behave, the way they make decisions, and the way they interact with other people. No parents can guarantee that their children will always stay on the right track. But we can honestly say we've done what we can, and we'll leave everything in God's good hands.

As I reflected over this, I couldn't help but also thank God for giving me the Lo's family. Flawed and full of hardships as it was, the Lo's family that I grew up from was nonetheless a warm and loving family with parents who loved each other deeply and believed in the value of marriage and family. It was a family that followed God's command to "be fertile and multiply" (Genesis 1:28) - we have 10 children in the family; a family with its door opened wide not only to its own members but also to its kin and even strangers; a family that was able to withstand all kinds of forces that threatened to pull it apart and somehow managed to stay together. Most of all, it is a family that kindles fond memories in my heart; it prepared me well to raise my own family, and to do so by modelling after in many ways the Lo's family.

So that was my prayer this morning, not only to thank God, but also to thank my parents who gave us the Lo's family....