Dear God,

Thanks for being the open heaven God of beautiful grace. Thanks for Thanksgiving 2015. Today I was reminded to honor you by one of the hosts of the Thanksgiving dinner I attended. Each person was given five kernels of corn with a meaningful explanation: I hear the hostess’s voice:

1. The first kernel reminds us that God loves us.
2. The second kernel reminds us that God provides for all our needs.
3. The third kernel reminds us of the friends God has given us . . .
4. The fourth kernel reminds us of all the people God has given us who love us.
5. And the fifth kernel reminds us that God hears our prayers and answers us.[1]

And thus, I continue to pray, to walk into the heavenly chamber where I can talk openly with God. For me this is God’s beautiful grace–granted to even me.

Thanks Lord. During this year’s dinner, you took me “undercover.” I thought I was going to a Thanksgiving dinner with friends; however, you gave me the unmerited grace of a blessing grounded in the meaning of five kernels of corn. Lord, you saw that I needed the five-corn-kernels to carry around with me in 2016 as a reminder of your blessings, your gift of beautiful grace.

Thank you Lord for the meal. The food was fabulously delicious: collard greens, macaroni and cheese, veggie chicken, dressing, turkey, corn—food, glorious food. The presence of family and new friends —gloriously delicious.

Father, thank you for the games and the laughter. And thank you for the reminder that You plant all of my days—and sometimes the best way to hear you is to go, as Pastor TD Jakes says, “undercover” on the earth [holding five kernels of corn]. “Jesus,” says T.D. Jakes was “God undercover.” “Anything that is undercover” says Pastor Jakes “ . . . does not yet appear as it shall be[2].”

God, I know I am not as I “shall be”; however, on this day, I walk holding five kernels of corn as my affirmation that You, God, continue to move me in the direction you have ordained for me. Because of that I shout—a HALLELUJAH pray for all of Humanity. In my imagination, I gift five kernels of corn stitched in the fabric of beautiful grace to each human being who reads this prayer!

Amen!

[1] http://happyhomefairy.com/2011/11/19/thanksgiving-tradition-the-5-kernels-of-corn/

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgTeSVOVCNU