A letter to my newborn granddaughter
Dear Norah Esther Ross, Welcome to the world, my precious…
From A to Z, Thanksgiving blessings abound
As I prepare to eat turkey and celebrate my blessings with family and friends, I am thankful for so much.
Such as:
• Amens: Isn’t it amazing that God listens to our prayers?
Isn’t it amazing that God listens to our prayers?
• Booster shots: My wife, Tamie, and I got ours just recently. Going to the CVS and getting vaccinated is what we like to call Date Night. (We did call and order Tex-Mex on the way home.)
• Chick-fil-A: If my favorite fast-food place didn’t close on Sunday, I might eat a chicken biscuit every day of the week.
• Dad: Mine is the best. Trust me on this.
• Elephants: My favorite is Gerald from the “Elephant and Piggie” children’s book series by Mo Willems. Not coincidentally, my 3-year-old grandson, Bennett, loves him, too.
• Fingers: My left middle one got a mysterious infection this year, requiring surgery and an expensive medication. It’s still a little crooked (long story), but it’s mostly better. I’m again typing “c,” “d,” “e” and the number 3 without any pain.
Tamie Ross with her granddaughter, Norah.
• Grandchildren: Bennett and his 6-month-old sister, Norah, bring so much joy to my life. I made so many mistakes with my three children, but I’m really rocking this Papa gig.
• Headlines: After 31 years in full-time journalism, I still can’t believe they pay me to put together a newspaper. (Given rising inflation, perhaps I should say I can’t believe how little they pay me to do this. But seriously, I am blessed.)
• iPhones: Isn’t it crazy that we can listen to music, play games, take selfies, check email and count steps on a little device that fits in our palm? I’ve even heard a rumor, unconfirmed so far, that you can use it to call people.
• Jesus: Jesus is always the right answer. I learned this in Sunday school many years ago.
• Kisses: Wife kisses and grandchild kisses are the best kisses. Oh, and Hershey’s Kisses.
• Love: I am blessed by family and friends — even adult male friends like Texas preacher Britt Farmer — who are not too shy to say, “I love you.” If we all said these three words more often, the world might be a better place.
• Mom: Mine is the best. Trust me on this.
• Nacho Cheese Doritos: Just keeping it real. And I’ll go ahead and make a shoutout, too, for my friends Cheetos and Funyuns.
“If we all said these three words more often, the world might be a better place.”
• Oklahoma Sooners football: I’m not a diehard fan, but I do enjoy watching the games. (I wrote the original version of this column before the Sooners’ Nov. 13 loss to Baylor. I did not enjoy that game so much.)
• Pizza: You know what? I’m starting to wonder if I should have eaten lunch before writing this column.
• Quotations: Hey, I’m a journalist. Quotes are one of our favorite things. This quote from Jesus (found in John 16:33) is comforting amid the ongoing pandemic: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
• Rabbits: Tamie and I have two pet rabbits, Pancake and Fritter. They eat an incredible amount of lettuce. My bride feeds the neighborhood bunnies, too, so our yard is a popular place.
• Stadiums: I’ve seen games at 19 of the 30 current stadiums for Major League Baseball teams. The rest of the ballparks — including Wrigley Field in Chicago — are on my bucket list.
Bobby Ross Jr. with his grandson, Bennett, at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
• Texas Rangers: Supposedly, my beloved Rangers, who have struggled in recent years, are ready to spend big money this winter to sign top free agents. I endorse this plan.
• Underdogs: I’m excited to see the new movie “American Underdog: The Kurt Warner Story” when it comes out this Christmas.
• Vegetables: If you know me, you will understand the humor here. I don’t eat a lot of green things. My favorite vegetable: macaroni and cheese.
• Writing: I love writing. Or more precisely, I love having written. The actual writing part remains a challenge. As Red Barber put it, “Writing is easy. Just sit down, and open a vein.”
• Xanthophyll: This is, as I’ve just learned from Googling, the yellow coloring in yellow autumn leaves. I like those, not to mention orange, red and brown leaves in the fall, so let’s go with this. (Confession: The pickings are slim on “x” words.)
• You: No, really. If you’ve read this far, you are a blessing to me and The Christian Chronicle. I am grateful for you.
• Zoo: Bennett loves the alpacas, the giraffes, the monkeys and the zebras. And the elephants, too. But I already mentioned them.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. Be blessed this holiday season.
BOBBY ROSS JR. is Editor-in-Chief of The Christian Chronicle. Reach him at [email protected].
