A Season of Thanksgiving

This past Thursday we celebrated Thanksgiving with my family at my mom's house.  There is just something altogether magical about the day. OK, I admit, magical is not the word to use; perhaps special is a much better choice.  I love Thanksgiving.  Lets start there.

Thanksgiving is so many things to so many people.  To me, it is a day that holds no pretense.  What does this mean, you ask.  Simply, it means that the day is filled with no expectations.  No expectations of what did the gift cost, does my hair look the best, is my outfit going to meet approval, will I say the right thing, will I do the right thing, am I loved?  No, Thanksgiving is that day when you shed all those expectations and reflect on the fact that; you had the money to buy the gift in the first place, you haven't had to fight a cancer that robbed you of your hair, you have the opportunity to be clothed completely, you get to spend time in conversation with others who won't judge you unwarranted, but rather give you corrective criticism and steer you in a clearer direction, and when you do do the wrong thing, pick you up, dust you off and love you anyhow.  That is why I love Thanksgiving.  It is the one day when the silver lining, in all things, is the focus.  A day when, above all else, time spent together gets to come first.

I don't have a perfect family, but they are perfect for me.  I think God gives us the families we have for several reasons, but mostly because He designed our paths and placed us where we will be of the most use.  Despite all the humanness in us all, it is God who uses us to touch other's lives. I know I may fail repeatedly and wish for a more divinely inspired narrative, but trust that despite it all, I will remain true to myself and yielded enough to His molding and teaching to be the beacon of light my family needs.  I know also that there are going to be bumps in the road, forks approached and the wrong path taken, but through it all, I have God and the love of my family to see me through.

The "adults" table...missing 3...I think the camera scares people off...and then there is the timing aspect - other houses some have to go to first.

The "kids" table...missing my brother's kids...again, timing... NOTE:  these are actually the perfect picture of my kids...it tells their personalities to a T!  Audrey - "Mom, get that thing out of my face I just want to eat.  Kelly - really, another picture, really?! and Lillian - "I'm a ham bone, but I come by it honestly."

A "friendly" game of electronic Monopoly.  Whoever thought letting my brother be the banker, well, that's another story for another time, but regardless, here is the the whole crew, minus me and the hubby of course!

Ah yes, my hubby looking over the Black Friday ads and the kids all playing Just Dance 2 on the Wii.


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