Gathering Together

There is an old wooden sign hanging in our dining room that says “Gather together with thankful hearts”.  It is one of my favorite pieces of decoration in our home because it is so simple, yet powerful in what it conveys.

“Gather together” took on a special meaning for us three years ago as we celebrated Thanksgiving at the hospital bedside of our seven-year old daughter, Maggie, who was recovering from brain surgery the day before. Up until that day, though, I don’t believe I fully comprehended what Gather Together really meant.

It was the day before Thanksgiving, and instead of shopping for turkey, stuffing, and sausage, my wife and I were sitting in a hospital waiting room hoping our daughter would live through surgery to remove a cancerous brain tumor. We were not alone, though. Waiting with us in that small room were about 20 to 30 other friends. We had taken over the waiting room area with laughter, tears, and more junk food than should ever be allowed in a hospital.

It was more than just being with two parents who had a sick child. We were all drawn together, needing to believe and hope that God would not let this little girl die during Thanksgiving. In many ways, it was the only place we could be that day. Together.

After waiting for 7 hours,  the surgeon came to the room to tell us all how it went. We all gathered around the surgeon as he described in detail the tumor that he removed and how Maggie dealt with the surgery. And we cried together as he said, “I removed as much as I could”. She was alive, and for that we were so grateful.

The next day, our friends brought their Thanksgiving dinners to the hospital to share with us, and we broke bread over Maggie’s hospital bed. It was Thanksgiving, and we were gathered together with thankful hearts.