A Different Sort of Thanksgiving...

While most of the country was bustling with holiday celebrations with food, family, and friends, my holiday was a quiet one in Indiana. I was struck with how different this day was from most of my other Thanksgivings in the past.

As a child, Thanksgiving was a time to gather at my grandparents' house next door with my parents and usually an aunt and her daughters. Since I was an only child, I was accustomed to things being a good deal quieter than they were on those special days. I would play with my cousins, then we would eat a fabulous lunch, and we cousins would continue to play after lunch while the grownups were cleaning up. But after a little while, I'd slip away to our house (when I'd had enough "loud") and take a nap until time for the city's Thanksgiving parade. I'd sleepily watch the parade, then drag myself to the kitchen to get some favorite leftovers.

For many years, I attended a church that had a wonderful Thanksgiving service that started without fail at 10AM with praise and worship songs, reading of Scriptures, and testimonies from people who were especially thankful for things that had happened in the past year. I can still remember how whole families lined up in the sanctuary to give their praises to God. We always closed with communion and the Aaronic blessing (the Lord bless you and keep you...). Most of the time, we were doing good to finish the service by 12:30PM, and I'd rush to get to my family lunch, which had usually already started.

When I moved several states away, there was never enough time allotted for me to go home for Thanksgiving, especially since I was going home for Christmas and New Year's Day each year. Those Thanksgivings were celebrated with other families -- the first couple of years with the family of my handbell teacher and other kids from the university who had no family in town, then after that, it was usually spent with my dear friends who were a second family to me. These friends usually had Thanksgiving dinner in the late afternoon, so most Thanksgivings found me at the hospital working day shift (usually for double pay...needed that!), then going to their house for the evening.

When I moved back to my hometown, I hosted my parents at my apartment for my first Thanksgiving back in town and felt so "grown up", decorating and having everything "just so". We shared the food preparation and cleanup, visited a little while, and they went home. I am so thankful that I hosted Thanksgiving at my house that year, because the next year, Daddy was in an assisted living facility and couldn't have made the trip. Since he's been gone for almost 3 years, Mom and I have usually been together for a meal and a visit.

But this year found us separated -- she in the family home in North Carolina, and I in Indiana. Thankfully, her cousin came over to have lunch with Mom, and they spent a musical afternoon together, playing the piano and singing. I, on the other hand, spent some quiet time in Scriptures, and did a variety of activities, from watching the parade and other old sitcom favorites, to studying for the next exam that I hope to finish next Monday. Oh, and yesterday, I went to see the baby who was my first "catch" and his parents; they're all doing well and the baby's already gained over a pound in the past month! I had taken some pictures, and I made them into a Smilebox to send them...that's always fun.

I decided to "take myself out on a date" this evening...really hard to find a restaurant open. I finally found a Cracker Barrel restaurant open, and I enjoyed their Thanksgiving meal, which gave me the tastes of the day, without the opportunity to get seconds (and thirds, etc.). I had to laugh when on the way there and back again I saw this huge blow-up of Tom Turkey sitting on someone's nicely manicured lawn.

And, no-o-o, tomorrow I won't be out at 4AM shopping...that's when you'll know I've lost my mind, because 4AM is for SLEEPING...unless I would be babycatching, and I don't think that's liable to happen.

Whatever the season of life, whether boisterously loud, quiet, or somewhere in between, this fact remains -- the LORD is good, and His mercy endures forever! Happy Thanksgiving!