So often, I spend Thanksgiving day cooking and cleaning, preparing or traveling. While that can be fun and, at least in retrospect, is rewarding, while I'm in it, I often feel overwhelmed, overworked and overspent.
But there is always some shining moment in the day, like a baby girl devouring a great big turkey drumstick. Or the kids putting on a Thanksgiving presentation, with Bard reciting a poem by Jack Prelutsky and Houdin dressed like an indian, his face covered in orange Mary Kay foundation (who would actually WANT to be that color???) Or my father-in-law waking us up before the sun even rises to go on a Turkey Walk by strolling through the house at some non-human hour making some non-human noise that's supposed to sound like a turkey gobbling.
This morning, while I was snuggled cozily in my bed after a crazy night of eating individually holiday-wrapped Reese's Cups and watching Shrek 2, the last thing on my mind was waking up. And then, at some non-human hour, the phone rang. It was so early that the sun had just peaked over the frosty hillside. With my sleepy head pressed against the phone receiver, hoping I had the right end to my ear, I could hear that non-human noise.
"Gobblegobblegobblegobblegobble. Gobblegobblegobblegobblegobble."
It's Thanksgiving. And even though our budget or our work schedule can't handle a trip to Illinois to spend the weekend with the rest of our family, my father-in-law, God bless him, has brought a piece of it here.
Today, we'll be pulling our Christmas decorations out of the fruit cellar, taking down the fall foliage that remains from our Family Gathering, and preparing for our Thanksgiving meal, which will be on Saturday this year so that another family whose budget is a bit tight--and whose man-of-the-house will be working today--will be able to join us for in breaking bread and giving thanks.
While my heart longs to be with the rest of my family (it's my husband's family, yes, but it's the only family that I have and couldn't ask for a better one), I'll thank God for my husband and kids, and I'll thank God for His many blessings. Yes, it's easy to complain about the budget, the work schedule, the preparing, the cleaning or the traveling (or, as this year, the lack thereof), but I know that it's more lovely to give thanks.
On this day, I thank God for family, for love, for forgiveness, for eternity, for God's salvation, for His perfect timing, for free will, and for the chance to start a new life with every single moment.
Thank you for reading. Thanks for the inspiration you give me. Thank you for your insight and your wisdom and your companionship. Thank God for you.
Have a truly thankful day.
You Are Mashed Potatoes |
 Oridnary, comforting, and more than a little predictable You're the glue that holds everyone together. |
