Christmas Thanksgiving

The words that you are now reading were written on Thanksgiving Eve. That date is not nearly as significant as Dec. 24. However, it is still a good time to reflect and come up with an angle for my column. We should be grateful every day. I am thinking back on Christmases and thinking about what makes me thankful for Jesus’ birthday.

I miss my parents at Christmas time, in part because I remember how much they enjoyed the holiday and how special they made it for their five kids and later their grandchildren. Dad was not known for his cooking, but on major holidays he contributed in his own chao...