I LINGERED AT THE KITCHEN TABLE after Mom had left for work that morning. Tonight would be the fifth night of Hanukkah, and I was at a loss. What do I get my mother? We used to exchange gifts every night of the holiday when my brother and I were kids. Stuffed animals, puzzles and clothes for us. Usually something handmade for Mom and Dad. Now we did just one big gift exchange on the eighth and final night. It was enough to celebrate with candles and family the other seven days. But there were only three days left to think of the perfect present.
I remembered Hanukkahs we’d had growing up. Mom would make latkes while Dad led us in prayers. My brother and I ran to the living room after dinner to pick a present from the pile.
“Just one,” my parents would say.
I would stare at the dining room table, covered with 16 presents between us. I always tried to save the biggest for the last night. I liked having something to look forward to.
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Denne historien er fra December 2019 - January 2020-utgaven av Guideposts.
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What prayer can do
POWER IN OUR DAY-TO-DAY LIVES
Rejoice in All Things
My husband and I had an annual tradition of celebrating the high points of the year. This time, he wanted to try something different
Special Delivery
A month after my wife died and my life felt so empty, the only thing I had to look forward to was Amazon
A Prayer for Cullen
Even in a family crisis, I had trouble quieting my mind enough to listen for God
Blackie & Rosebud
What would happen to my friend's cats now that she was gone?
The Kids Are Alright
My twin boys and I had always been close. I thought they needed me. Now I wasn't so sure
Kindred Spirits
I thought the nose ring gave it away—she was just another teenager. I couldn't imagine how she could help me
A Boy Named Sue
In 1969, Johnny Cash and his wife, June, threw a party at their house in Hendersonville, Tennessee, a “guitar pull,” where guests passed around a guitar and tried out new songs.
Active Duty
I'd tried everything for my knee - physical therapy, gel injections, a cumbersome brace. Everything except prayer
Living an Abundant Life
A conversation with spirituality and health researcher Harold G. Koenig, M.D., on what makes people truly happy
