November 1 to January 1, is my favorite time of year. I can honestly say I’ve never spent the season away from family and friends. I love the holiday season, and for me it normally begins at the beginning of November with Christmas movies on the Hallmark Channel and Lifetime with one of my best friends. We would get together every Saturday and have dinner with her family, make sausage balls, gluten free peanut butter cookies, and Russian Tea and spend the night watching Christmas movies and planning our Thanksgiving to Christmas season calendar. There is always so much to do…Bristol Motor Speedway to see the lights, Hollywild Zoo to see the lights and the reindeer, Greenville SC Christmas Parade (at night), church Christmas plays, baking goodies, Christmas caroling, my list could go on and on.
This year everything looks a lot different. The Christmas library on my external hard drive consists of 3 movies, all of which I can already quote word for word. I won’t be decorating a tree this year. There will be no sausage balls, peanut butter cookies, or Russian tea. There will be no Christmas lights to go see, no church plays, no Christmas caroling with my church. On Thanksgiving there was no turkey, cornbread dressing, or pumpkin pie. There were no sales ads to go through and search for the best deals on Black Friday.
This past Thursday was Thanksgiving, and I woke up more homesick than ever!! I woke up extra early to spend some time with God in the labyrinth (if you don’t know what this is, read my previous blog Lost in the Labyrinth). I was trying not to complain to God but it was hard. You see, I knew that my Thanksgiving would be spent digging a 5 ft hold for the new septic system. I had rice and beans for breakfast and lunch. Dinner I had rice and some sort of soup. I’ve spent the past month praying that God would provide a traditional Thanksgiving meal for us. (America is the only country that celebrates Thanksgiving). But Thursday morning as I sat at the foot of the cross God reminded me what Thanksgiving is really about. It isn’t about the food. It isn’t about who I am surrounded by or what I am doing. Thanksgiving is about my heart and remembering to be appreciative of what I have and what God has done for me.
All day Thursday God reminded me of everything I have to be thankful for. I was overwhelmed!! What do I have to complain about?!?!? Forget the turkey that doesn’t even matter!! I am serving children who don’t get 3 meals a day, families who struggle to put 1 meal on the table, children who’s clothes are literally rags because that is all they could find at the dump. After work on Thursday I took a shower and tearfully gave thanks because I had one pair of clean socks left to wear! I am 28 years old, and for the first time in my life I celebrated Thanksgiving.
I’m not sure what the Christmas season will hold. I know it will not be the Christmas I am used to and for that I am thankful!! Jesus, I pray that you continue to open my eyes during the next month so I can experience Your birthday like never before!!
Beginning December 1st I will not be on facebook until January 2013. I’ve prayed about this and feel like this is what I am supposed to do in order to fully be present with God and everything He has in store for me. It is hard to be fully present when in my heart I am jealous of all the things I see and read about. Love you guys and thank you for your support!!
To contact me during the month of December please feel free to email me at [email protected]. I love to get mail 🙂
