Hope in the Storm – November: The Table Left Waiting

 Here is tbe November entry for Hope in the Storm – A Maple Lane Mystery, centered around gratitude, grief, and the quiet strength that gets us through life’s hardest holidays.

Hope in the Storm – November: The Table Left Waiting

Thanksgiving was always a big deal on Maple Lane. Tables groaned under bowls of mashed potatoes and sweet corn, pies lined windowsills, and laughter echoed down leaf-strewn sidewalks. But this year, for Eli Turner, the table felt emptier than ever.

It was his first Thanksgiving since his wife, Maribel, passed the previous spring. The grief still clung to him like an ill-fitting coat, and though his daughter, Hazel, was home from college with a heart full of hope, Eli had lost his taste for celebration.

Aimee Little, ever gentle with wounded hearts, invited them both to the Friendsgiving Dinner at the Crown Diner, a community tradition where no one was left out. Eli resisted at first. “I don’t want to be anyone’s burden,” he muttered. But Hazel, with a quiet strength her mother once carried, convinced him.

Meanwhile, a mysterious card kept appearing at Eli’s doorstep—unsigned, always with a new quote about gratitude and endurance. The final note came Thanksgiving morning:
“Gratitude doesn't mean you don't feel the storm—it means you're learning to dance in the rain.”

At the diner, amidst warm biscuits and stories shared, Eli found himself laughing. Really laughing. Sheriff Grady gave a short speech about rebuilding through broken seasons, and Eli caught Hazel smiling at him—her eyes a mirror of Maribel’s. That night, he realized something: the storm hadn’t passed, but the table wasn’t empty. It had simply grown larger.

Scripture Reflection:

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV)
"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

Journal Prompt:

Who helps anchor you when the holidays feel heavy? What table—literal or emotional—can you set for someone else this season?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hope in Bloom - Restoration of the broken pieces of life

Image
  That’s a beautiful and deeply meaningful vision— Hope in Bloom: Living Everyday with a God-Focused Heart   is a title full of gentle strength and promise. Let’s shape Ellie and Reid’s story into a scene that also works as a devotional reflection—something with heart, scripture, and a soft teaching moment through story. Devotional Story Draft – “The Garden Wall” Inspired by: Hope in the Storm – May: The Garden of Her Heart Theme: Restoration through Community Scripture: Isaiah 58:12 (NIV) "Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings." Scene: Ellie hadn’t cried when the wind knocked down the memorial wall. Not when she found the shattered terracotta pots, the wind-tossed ribbons, or the hand-written notes soaked and torn in the grass. She had blinked hard, clenched her jaw, and swept it all into a box. It was supposed to be a quiet way for people to grieve...
Read more

Life in a Hole, a devotion

Life in a Hole Today’s devotional was pretty inspiring. I used its guidance two days in a row. It is all about how obeying God is actually just listening to him. My journal prompt was: what did you learn today? Today I learned that my analogy of life in a hole has shown me that our hiding places may not be just avoidance tactics but mental health days. Those are the times where we just can’t hear God with all those nutcases vying for our attention. And I admit, I can be one of those nutcases.  God has been impressing upon me how important rest is to my life. As a self described workaholic, rest used to be quite a curse word. I felt like, heck, if I rest, I’m not good enough. Being kid number one in my family, I learned a lot about how to cope with and deal with life from my mom. And she was an avoidance expert. But also the smartest lady I know. Dad worked out of town a lot when I was a kid, so it was just me and mom. Mr Roger’s Neighborhood began right when I was old enough to und...
Read more

Operation Christmas Spirit, a spiritual ER visit

  The twinkle lights were already going up on Maple Lane, and Tori Rae felt nothing but a dull throb behind her eyes. Not from the lights, but from the distinct feeling that her internal Christmas Spirit gauge was flatlining. This wasn't just a mood; this was a medical emergency. Her usual bah-humbug tendencies had escalated. She felt a phantom tightening around her skull (the dreaded Devil's Snare) and a distinct ache in her metaphorical funny bone(it took a hiatus mid November). And her shins? Don't even ask. Bruised from kicking herself. "It's time, Tor," Mauve had said, her voice gentle but firm. "You need to see Dr. Evergreen." Her pink cheeks were firm, her smile bright. The Christmas Spirit bug had definitely gotten to her already. Her tree went up the day after Thanksgiving. Dr. Holly Evergreen's office wasn't in a sterile clinic, but in a surprisingly cozy little building tucked behind the Rec Center, smelling faintly of cinnamon and...
Read more