Cardboards boxes, willing hearts and friends

Last week I gave you a (try and make you smile) column about making a rough draft of what you are thankful for. Well, after the week I had, the true Thanksgiving list is here and ready for your approval. So here we go.

Cardboard boxes can be hard to come by. I have heard from people all over the world that have a difficult time finding the hard paper storage units without paying for them. This is not the case in Coulee Country. An overwhelming outpouring of boxes came our way. Dave, at the school, supplied us with a stack of boxes a day. Ed Moore and Harvest foods saved us a few truck loads. The other Karrie, the one at Sunflower Graphics, also chipped in and let us have as many as we wanted. To top off our cardboard crusade, the Tufts family gave us theirs as they unpacked them.

Side story: If a cardboard box could talk, oh the stories it could tell.

OK, back on track. So, meat boxes, food boxes, school move boxes, clothing boxes, diaper boxes and boxes from Alaska all helped us greatly and the next group of people I am thankful for probably appreciated the cardboard gold mine more than we did.

When a group of people come together to help a cause, great or small, it can be a powerful, beautiful thing. It is a whole different ball game when they come together to help you. A group of young men and women, (a few older ones too), gave up their Sunday afternoon to come load a big U-Haul and a few trucks to move us again. A stressful thing, this moving, and we were not without stumbling block after stumbling block.

Stress boiled to the top of the pot. But a group of heros came to our aid. Clint, Jeff, Mark, Elizabeth, Steve, Phil, Rich, Brad, Levi, Nicollette, Matt, Mason, Dakota, Jim, Liz, Winni, Bonnice, Gerry, Lynette and Brian — all big hearted folks from our community — and Karrie (my Karrie this time) and I will never forget what they did. Even Emmaline carried a box. If they felt anything like me the next day, sore backs and tired feet required extra attention.

We are humbled by your generosity and you filled our hearts with joy. We felt God’s presence in each of you, and I know there is a great reward waiting for you all. (You too Ed, I know you were with us in spirit, helping us all with your Popeye arms.) When we sit down to our Thanksgiving meal, I will think of each of you.

I am thankful this year for a lot of things: family, my health, my God and my wife, but at the top of the list are all of those I mentioned above and the Friend Family below me right now and Cheryl.

Cheryl helped us big this year. Not only by having three awesome boys that married three awesome ladies but for being a very true friend to us in the difficult times and the good. We love her greatly, as we love the rest of the people who helped us, and Jason for the adjustments.

So, know this, Coulee Country, as you sit around your table this year, eating turkey and stuffing with cranberry sauce, thinking about what pie you are going to dive into next, falling asleep while watching the Seahawks play: There are good neighbors out there. I am thankful for that, maybe more today than ever before.

One more thing. God is real. Be very thankful for that too. He shows himself in weird ways sometimes. In a stranger, in a pastor, in the store or in the back of a U-Haul truck. He pops up and reminds us he is there and he wants to help each of us. We’ve just got to receive him sometimes and be a good host. Be thankful for that, for sure.

As I am writing this, I cannot help but think of Chip. He lost everything last week, and as I was moving all my stuff I could not help but think of him. He also, after his fire, offered to help us. Thanks Chip, and if there is ever anything I can do, just ask.

So, Happy Thanksgiving everyone, and watch out for the turkey coma.