Ever since I was a very little girl, I’ve had a favorite holiday– Christmas. I’ve blogged about it dozens of times. However, for me anyway, Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas if Thanksgiving didn’t give it a kick-off. On this day, every year, as we enjoy the bounty that the Lord has provided for us, I’m often humbled.
We have delicious food– lots of it. Heaping bowls of mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, green beans, rolls, pies, and of course, our family favorite, Hungarian Coffee Cake. It’s a reminder, using all the senses, that we’re so very blessed. The dishes, dirty counters, filthy floors, and cluttered house are a testimony to just how much we have to be thankful for– and to share. I sit here, exhausted after scrubbing up after cooking up a storm, and dinner isn’t for four more hours! The house is still a mess, the counters covered with more dirty dishes than the sink and the dishwasher could handle, papers on my living room floor from the couple of hundred of newspapers that my children delivered this morning. The table is loaded with books for me to ship and Lorna’s doll house. There’s laundry to fold, and well, we need to do some work in here– and this is only what I can see from my chair!
After I’ve rested, I plan to get up, clean up the room, and then take a shower. We’ll eat, play a game or three, watch a movie, listen to music, and in the middle of that, we’ll probably start putting up the Christmas village. I love this time of year!
This year, Thanksgiving is extra special to me. In my NaNo Novel, I’m writing about the future– 2125 to be exact, and a woman from 2009 who was abducted there. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter… they all don’t exist anymore and watching my character try to recreate the holidays that meant so much to her is really giving me a fresh appreciation of them for me. I’m seeing everything in a new light. The food just isn’t empty calories or worn-out traditions. The abundance of food represents the abundance of our blessings in this country, in our homes, and in our lives. I know the argument can be made that people over-indulge to the point of gluttony on this day. This is, most definitely possible. However, regardless of the veracity of that assertion in an individual’s life, the fact is, it’s hard to over-indulge when you have nothing with which to do it! It’s still a testimony to the goodness of God.
Tomorrow, this day will be a memory– one more year of feeling thankful for what the Lord has done in my life. Today, however, I’m going to live it. This week alone had so many things for me to be thankful for.
Monday— Lunch out with dear friends. Every time I publish a book, Teresa, Glenda, and I go to Nicoletti’s Cafe and have a ‘signing’.
Tuesday— My Nolan. He turned fifteen this year. Also, my new teeth. They’re going to be so amazing! I can’t wait.
Wednesday— My husband and I ‘celebrated’ (by existing in a continual state of marital happiness) our twenty-first anniversary.
Thursday— A lovely meal with my wonderful family.
Friday— Black Friday sales, decking our home for Christmas, and this year, a ‘write-in’ for NaNoWriMo.
Saturday— … I can’t imagine what it’ll be, but it’ll be amazing.
Sunday— The Lord is good, I am thankful, and it’ll be another wonderful Lord’s day.
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