Thanksgiving

I love the holiday season. Beginning mid-November and through to New Years there is a festive spirit that takes me over, and makes it difficult to focus on work or other things that probably should be focused on.

Thanksgiving was a week ago. There is not any other holiday as good as Thanksgiving. The memories go way back – it has always been a day for family gathering together to enjoy each other as we enjoy a feast. Thanksgiving is a day steeped in our family’s tradition for me. Every year we have a turkey roasted the same way as all other years, basted with butter and garlic and stuffed with cornbread dressing made with Bell’s Seasoning and onions and garlic and celery and rosemary and a little apple and a lot of butter. There were creamed green beans with a little bacon and a few dried cranberries thrown in as they boiled. There was mashed squash – Mom always liked Hubbard squash, but they are hard to find in the West – a family at church gave me a garden grown Butternut for this Thanksgiving – it was sweet and rich and wonderful. There were creamed and buttered, boiled onions and mashed potatoes and turkey gravy. There were candied yams with emphasis on the candied. There were hot, home baked rolls. There was pies for dessert – pumpkin, and pecan with fresh whipped cream. The china Darlene’s brother gave her nearly 50 years ago comes out of the display cabinet Darlene’s father made for it and gets used. It’s a true and glorious feast worthy of a day named Thanksgiving with roots back to America’s beginnings.

Jessica and Joe and Noah joined us this year, driving down from Pagosa Springs. It was good to be together – was the first time eating Thanksgiving with them since 2008. We thought about and talked about the rest of the family who for various reasons couldn’t join us – there was some phone calls and a Skype with Aaron, Christine and Aria in Vermont before the weekend was over. It’s a family time that cheers and warms the heart.

Being blessed as we are and being thankful brings with it responsibility. There is purpose in being blessed that reaches out beyond self. The holidays are the best of times to consider others – others not limited by borders or their ethnicity or race or even religion. God rains down his blessings on the just and unjust alike and His means of blessing others includes our caring and being benevolent. I suppose there is a valid concept of measuring worthy in terms of making decisions about sharing with the needy. But a kind and gracious heart is a great virtue, and judging worthiness can be an endeavor that comes back around to haunt. Jesus said it this way, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Thanksgiving – it’s a wonderful holiday – it’s a wonderful attitude for all days – it’s a way of looking at things that helps make the world a nice place to live.