Cold Turkey

"Maria!" Dad called. "Your aunt and uncle will be here soon. Can you come down and help with dinner?"Maria sighed and tossed the book she was reading on the floor. The last thing she wanted to do was help with Thanksgiving dinner. It was their first Thanksgiving without Mom, and it wouldn't be the same, no matter how much food they cooked. When Maria shuffled into the kitchen, Dad smiled at her. "Want to learn how to carve a turkey?" he asked. Maria shrugged, which Dad took to mean yes, she did.After Dad explained what to do, Maria began slicing the turkey, but the knife wouldn't go all the way through. "Dad, this isn't cutting right, it's--it's frozen!" Dad took the knife and tried to make a cut, but it wouldn't go any deeper than a few inches. The middle was still frozen solid. Dad groaned. "I must not have let it thaw long enough.""Why are we even trying to cook a turkey anyway?" bellowed Maria. "Mom's gone, and it won't be the same. I don't care if people are coming, I don't want Thanksgiving!"Maria ran to her room and collapsed onto the bed, sobbing. A few minutes later Dad came in and sat down."Maria, I know it's been hard for you since Mom died. When something terrible like that happens, it can take a long time to get past the anger and sadness. It's okay to feel those things, and it's important to acknowledge our feelings and work through them, because we don't want our hearts to become cold and hard like that turkey." Dad gently brushed a tear from Maria's cheek. "The turkey needed more time to thaw than I realized, but if I'd just left it in the freezer, it never would have thawed at all. Right now your heart needs to thaw, and one way to help it along is to be with your family today. We love you, and Jesus loves you, and He wants to help you heal. One way He brings that healing into your life is through people who can be there for you and share His love with you when you're hurting."Maria lifted her head from the pillow and wiped her eyes. "Okay, Dad. I'll come to Thanksgiving." She smiled. "But we'd better hurry and order some takeout."- Courtney Lasater