Church • ish

By Shayne O’Brien THE EMPTY CHAIR All our kids will be home for Thanksgiving this year. We can’t wait! For so many, the holidays are about the overflowing fullness of our lives. We certainly feel that right now. So, we are going to soak it all in, cherish the laughter, the food, and our family that brings so much joy, making life feel rich and worth living. For us it’s a time to look  around and recognize the good things, the sweet moments, and the wonderful relationships we’re blessed with.  Holidays are about celebrating presence.  But that is NOT all that’s happening this year and perhaps that’s not your story either.  Maybe, instead of fullness, this season feels marked by emptiness. Instead of abundance, you feel the weight of absence.  You might be surrounded by noise and life and celebration, but your eyes, your heart—(like ours) keep drifting to the quiet space that’s unoccupied now: the cruel vacancy of the empty chair.  I want you to know, you’re...