Threads of Gratitude: Thanksgiving Tablecloth Edition

So, yet again, this is the post I would have written last Thursday if I hadn’t been in a carb-induced coma (and obsessed with finishing the annual holiday puzzle in 24 hours).  Enjoy!

The Thanksgiving table is spread…the dishes are out, the food is cooked, the kitchen is filled with warm, yummy smells.  And our family gathers to give thanks on this special day of remembering God’s blessings.  As I survey the spread and prepare to enjoy the bounteous feast, each dish reminds me of a way I can be grateful.

Turkey: ah, the centerpiece of the Thanksgiving table.  No feast is complete without that golden-brown bird.  I see my family, seated around the table, anxiously waiting for that first bite, and I realize that though we may be a bunch of “turkeys” sometimes, each person is incredibly special.  Not just my immediate family, though.  I’ve come to realize how grateful I am for extended family…brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins…who are surrounding us with love, encouragement and support.  I’m grateful for this bunch of turkeys I call my family.

Stuffing:  The stuffing was always my favorite part of the meal as a kid.  We didn’t eat it very often so it was special: that savory blend of bread crumbs, herbs, and butter (though here in Texas we make it with CORNbread).  As I pass the stuffing I’m reminded that I am “stuffed” full of blessings, too…many of which I take for granted.

Mashed Potatoes: Forbidden on the South Beach Diet, but one of my all-time favorite foods, mashed potatoes are a must at Thanksgiving…if for no other reason than to have one more thing to use with gravy!  Though mashing potatoes is a great stress-reliever for me, I also know the pressure of being “mashed”…with too much to do and not enough time, with too many things piling on at once.  I’m grateful that even when I feel “mashed”, God’s grace is even greater.

Sweet Potatoes: In my New England Thanksgivings, there were no sweet potatoes.  We ate “yams.”  Candied yams, not sweet potatoes.  Those were gross.  Not like the ooey-gooey, marshmallowy sweet potatoes I make.  More a dessert than a vegetable, my sweet potato casserole has a special “secret” ingredient that makes all the difference: a cinnamon stick.  That sweet surprise reminds me to be grateful for the times of sweet surprise in my life: a moment of unexpected joy, a friend whose casual comment makes my day, a phone call or email that makes me laugh.

Rolls: Despite what the Bible says, I’m pretty sure I could manage to live on bread alone.  Especially hot, fresh, flaky biscuits straight out of the oven.  But over the course of the last year, especially, I’ve realized how much I couldn’t live without the TRUE Bread…the Bread of Life, the Word of God.  I’ve learned so much about faith, about following, about trusting…and how hungry I am to know more.  I’m grateful for His Word, and the way God feeds my hungering heart through it.

Pumpkin Pie: No good meal is complete without dessert, and pumpkin pie is the only proper way to end a Thanksgiving dinner.  Though I’ve experimented with different recipes, I always come back to the tried-and-true, plain and simple pumpkin pie with dollop of whipped cream on top.  It’s an indulgence for sure, but one I enjoy every year.  And I’m grateful for times of indulgence…times when I can experience “just a little more” of God’s blessings, whether it be new clothes or a meal out or time just for me.  Though I can’t enjoy those things every day, I’m grateful that my existence isn’t caught up merely in survival but in living.

A full table, a full heart, a full belly.  All from a buffet of wonderful dishes, reminding me just how much I have to be grateful for this year.  May you, too, recognize all the big and small blessings of your lives as we enter this holiday season.