THANKSGIVING IMAGES

First Thanksgiving

Remember our troops

A traditional favorite

Yes!

And especially be thankful for the Lord
and His goodness

THE THANKSGIVING MEAL

It's no secret to those who know me that Thanksgiving dinner is perhaps my favorite meal of all.  Of course, the food varies across the country, with ham and/or turkey, a rack of lamb, and some veggies and desserts, according to the likes and dislikes of families and communities.  But the theme is always reminiscent of that first Thanksgiving, and I enjoy partaking of it every November as we sit down to fellowship together over our meal.

When they were children, our daughters always dressed up as either pilgrims or Indians for their annual school Thanksgiving dinner, and parents joined them on that day, which was great fun.  There was usually a short program commemorating the first Thanksgiving, with parents snapping photos left and right of their darlings as they performed.  I was one of those parents!

 

What is your absolute favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal?  Our daughter Holly always declared that if we didn't have cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving, then the food wouldn't be good!  Personally, I think one must have stuffing, or it just isn't the Thanksgiving meal to me.  Others in the family insist that it's the pecan pie, or the mashed potatoes and gravy (that would be Bethany), or the green bean casserole. 

Whatever that special dish is, everything boils down to the time I enjoy most about the holiday:  time with family.  I am thankful for so many things, but especially for that.

THANKSGIVING IS MY FAVORITE!

Of all the holidays, Thanksgiving is my favorite!  It is family oriented, God oriented, and one of the few left that can actually be relaxing.  I love the message of Christmas (Christ's birth), and Easter (Christ's resurrection), but they have become so commercialized. 

That is not to say that their messages are any less sacred to me and my family, of course.  We celebrate them because they are sacred holidays, not because of all the other trappings.  Nothing wrong with Christmas trees or Easter baskets--it's just that in our family, we want to celebrate the true meanings of these wonderful holidays.

You'll see more posts about Thanksgiving, so indulge me this month. 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, FOLKS!

SARGE'S THANKSGIVING STORY

Thanksgiving (a.k.a., Delicious Food Day!)

Daddy and Mama arose early on Thanksgiving morning. She and several of the church ladies had spent most of the previous afternoon decorating the house. I must admit, it looked beautiful with the Christmas tree twinkling in the corner, the large golden bells with big red bows adorning the fireplace mantel, and greenery everywhere. They had set up a manger scene on a table in front of the living room window. I had overheard Mama tell one of the ladies, “This should be front and center. After all, we are celebrating Christ’s birth, so He should have the most prominent place in the room.” The figures glowed with inner lighting, and there was even a star and an angel with the scene.

I had never seen so many pretty, twinkling lights. The house smelled like cedar, the greenery wreaths adorned with red velvet bows and holly, and happy Christmas music played softly in the background as everyone scurried around to get the house ready for Thanksgiving.

“Philip, oh how I hope Mom likes the coat I made her! I wrapped it last week and put it in the hall closet. Will you bring it in here for me, please?” And I suppose she’ll drag out my hat and coat, too. I’ve thought about it a lot, and I think Mama really thinks I look handsome in them, so I’ll just put up with all the laughter. Besides, Papa will be here, and he loves me so much I think I can handle the situation, I suppose.

The first to arrive were Kurt and Bethany. She exclaimed, “Oh Holly, your big tummy is so cute!”

Mama hugged her. “You wouldn’t think so if you had to carry it around for a while.” Bethany said she had made a chocolate cake with cherry filling between the layers, since their mom loved chocolate so much. Mama rubbed her tummy and licked her lips in anticipation, since she loved chocolate, too. Bethany asked where she should put cake, and Mama told her to put it on the counter in the center. “After all, today is her birthday, and we don’t want her to feel like an afterthought. Thanksgiving should come in second today.”

As Bethany complied, Mama told her to come into the hall so she could show her something. Here goes. My reputation is now ruined for life.