To the Readers' Forum:
My wife and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the people who helped make the community Thanksgiving dinner possible. To all of you who donated turkeys and pies, to those who gave monetarily or gave gift cards, to all of the volunteers in the restaurant and those who drove, picking up those in need of a ride and delivering meals, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts! Without you it could never have happened! It's been said that you cannot have ''community'' without ''unity.'' How true this it! And all of you have proven that with unity we do indeed have community. You have shown that you are a community that cares and is willing to help when there is a need.
We weren't sure we were going to try and do the dinner this year, for we know that everybody is feeling the pinch of the financial situation across the land. Even those we knew the need was probably greater this year than in years past, we weren't sure it was fair to ask people to give even more! Then in the 11th hour, we felt God telling us to do it. So, we stepped out in faith and we are so glad that did. The response was overwhelming! We are humbled by your response and we feel honored and privileged to be part of this community!
And, of course, we praise our God for His goodness and faithfulness. I'm reminded of the time that Jesus fed the multitudes with just a few loaves and fishes. In Mark's Gospel, Chapter 6, versus 30-44, it tells us that Jesus took the five loaves and two fishes, blessed them and gave them to the disciples to pass out. And what happened? 5,000 men, plus their families were fed! Jesus took what he had, and that was His seed. God took that seed and multiplied it. That's exactly what God did in our case! All that we had to sow, was faith, knowing that with only two weeks until Thanksgiving, God would have to make it happen. And when we sowed that seed of faith, God took it, multiplied it and used it to feed the ''multitudes!'' Sometimes He does it supernaturally and sometimes he uses ordinary people like you and us.. And when He uses people, the ones that He uses share in the blessing, right along with those being helped.
We love all of you, we thank all of you and we pray that your Christmas will be blessed with the same blessing that you brought to us and all that you helped on Thanksgiving!
Wishing everyone a joyous, Christ-filled Christmas.
Steve and Kay Ribbing
T.K. Ribbing's Family Restaurant