2020 Home for the Holidays

2020 Home for the Holidays LINCOLN DAILY NEWS November 25, 2020 Page 13 W e are the Thomas family – Tracy, Lori and Hannah. We have moved to Lincoln three times—and the most recent time, two years ago, people asked, “Are you really glad to be back?” Our answer is a resounding, “Yes!” We are so thankful for this community where we have many mentors and friends, and to be in a place that is familiar to our daughter Hannah, who has Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS). But maybe you don’t feel the same—you may be feeling very isolated right now. The Latin root of our English word anxiety means “to choke.” Anyone feeling a little choked lately? We can relate. A lot. But we are coping in a variety of ways. We rely on our faith daily. Maybe you aren’t even sure if you believe in God. (We do highly recommend Room for Doubt—a great place to wrestle with the hard questions: https://www. roomfordoubt.com/ask/). When Tracy was the youth minister at Lincoln Christian Church and we took teens to youth conferences and on mission trips, he would often ask at the end of each day, “Where did you see God today?” Taking a moment to reflect, even on the toughest of days, and identify a moment of beauty or truth can really help nurture an attitude of gratitude. And not the kind that says, “I am glad we didn’t go through THAT” or “I am glad I am not THEM.” Gratitude must be bigger than what IS or IS NOT happening to us. To those who have lost loved ones and even the ability to properly mourn them, we are truly sorry. For those of you who wonder whether you will have a business or paycheck in the coming year (or if you already know you won’t), we grieve with you. Our family understands loss. Lori’s father passed away in September. Our daughter A family filled with Continued n