Recipes for Living:
Being Thankful for Thank Sounds simple, doesn’t it? There’s nothing complicated about a specific time to stop, observe, appreciate and simply be grateful. We might do it on a regular basis, but this is the designated holiday for expressing it to yourself, others, family members, friends, coworkers and most importantly, to God. Think about how convenient it is to have a long weekend to rest, regroup and recharge in preparation for the Christmas season. No, I don’t mean a football marathon or shopping frenzy. I mean rest! Because worship is harder when you are busy and tired, make it a priority! You’ll be glad you did. Lest you get the idea I am suggesting you hide from the world, allow me to clarify. I am simply suggesting we slow down and take time to enjoy the season. When the weather finally cools off, most of us are ready to head indoors for the duration of winter. Before this happens, use this special weekend to reconnect with the people you love the most. When growing up, going to grandma’s for Thanksgiving was a given. Likewise, Christmas just wasn’t Christmas without going to her house. Traditions begin in unusual ways and some stay the same forever while others evolve
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with the passage of time. And then there’s the way we do things: by accident. It all started with a fire at our house in February on the coldest day of the year. It was our first home, so remodeling was slow due to a lack of funds and time. However, a fast forward got put into play. We moved what few belongings survived into a small temporary apartment while the clean-up, reconstruction and repairs were being done. By the time we were able to move back in, the holidays were rapidly approaching. Wanting to show our ‘new’ home to our loved ones, we invited all my in-laws to come for Thanksgiving. We had a great time together eating, laughing, golfing, laughing, playing cards, laughing, visiting, laughing, making memories and laughing. Do you see a pattern here? After four days, on the way out the door to head home, one of the siblings said, “Next year, everyone come to our house.” On the following year, another sibling said the same and a tradition was born. We don’t get to do it every year anymore for various reasons, but we sure enjoy it when we do all manage to gather in one place. This year, we plan to try it again for Thanksgiving although a few family mem-
bers aren’t sure they will be able to come. However, I won’t let that put a damper on my holiday. We always enjoy the time with whoever manages to come. Even if they can’t arrive in time for the traditional family feast, they generally manage to carve out a bit of time to stop by and say hello and snap a few pictures or play a few rounds of cards. There is always something yummy to eat nearby such as cookies or chips or popcorn because it’s hard to eat with a fist full of cards. On the flip side, it’s hard to play cards with a turkey leg in your hand. Unfortunately, as time has passed, our family has expanded and grown so large it is hard to find a place large enough for all of us to gather. Somehow, eating out or
