Today is Thanksgiving, and that is a big deal in my house. Everyone comes over to our house for a massive Thanksgiving feast of fried turkey (really, it’s the only way to eat a turkey), Williams Sonoma stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls, rum cake, and whatever other fabulous concoction my mother has come up with for the year. We eat our feast for lunch, and the time leading up to that is just as important as the actual eating (ok, maybe a little less important. Let’s be real, my mom can COOK, and we all love to eat). The men stand outside frying the turkey, drinking beer, and talking about life and baseball. The women stand around the kitchen chatting about their families. My nephews go upstairs and play with the vintage Star Wars characters handed down from two generations of kids (well, not so much any more because they are getting SO OLD. Nowadays they usually ride the four-wheeler around our farm). And I float, so I get a taste of every conversation- chiming in every once in a while, but mostly listening as the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade plays in the background.
Then we all sit down, bless the food and dig in. Over lunch we talk about anything and everything- usually, if my nephew James has his way, World Wars I and II get brought up at least twice over the course of the meal. And always, my dad gets sentimental and starts talking about how blessed we are to be surrounded by such amazing people, eat such amazing food, and to have the ability to just sit for hours talking.
Well, this thanksgiving looks different- a different family, a different feast (but still a feast). But it is still a day for giving thanks. I love Thanksgiving- mainly because I’m a foodie- but also because of the heart behind it. So I’m going to write a short list of what I’m thankful for.
I’m thankful for…
• My family- biological and World Race
• Two months of amazing contacts- Bob and Anita
• Macaroni and Cheese
• Lord of the Rings
• The Red Hot Chili Peppers
• Beaufort- America’s coolest small town
• Growing up on a farm at the beach
• My two nephews who are awesome boys who will grow up to be amazing men
• Two totally different siblings who teach me so much about life and loving others
• The beauty and diversity of creation
• My mentor in college, who took on an impossible project and saw it through with patience and encouragement
• The opportunity to travel the world telling people about the love of my life (Jesus)
• My church family- who have supported me incredibly well my entire life
• My roommates, who created a home in Burlington that it was a joy to come back to every day
• My Young Life team, who loved, encouraged, and challenged me spiritually
• My friend Meg, who was there through every high and low in college and still loves me
• Really good literature
• Dead Poet’s Society
• Musicals
• The gift of music composition
• That “Nothing and no one is beautiful as I, that God- who is beauty itself- has fallen in love with me.”
• My WR teammates, who show my the Father’s love and grace everyday
There are more things, obviously, but I’ll stop for now, because no one’s trying to read all of that. Let’s just say I have a lot to be thankful for- a lot of things I did nothing to deserve, but were put into my life so that I could better lavish the Father’s love on every one I meet. And I am very thankful for that opportunity.
