Thanksgiving Memories

It is way to early to be up on Thanksgiving morning, but on a day that I could sleep late, I can't. While lying in bed trying to go back to sleep to no avail, I began to think about Thanksgivings past and not many stick out in my mind. Actually only two.

I think all of our families try to have the Norman Rockwell type of Thanksgiving. We do our best to gather our families around and have a big huge meal of turkey and and the "fixins". Most times we succeed, but no matter how hard we try, other times it just doesn't work out.

Like most of you when living at home, we went to our grandparents home. Most times we went to my dad's folks because mom's family lived 12-13 hours away. Now, we are all spread out and for the most part we don't, we wait until Christmas.

Earlier I mentioned that two Thanksgivings stand out as different, their significance in my life will by no means inspire you, they just happened to me. I will tell you about them in chronological order.

Once in my early years in college, I think freshman year, I decided not to go with my family to the coast for Thanksgiving. I don't remember why but just didn't go. I spent the day at home and then on Friday decided to go to north Mississippi to see a friend that I had not seen for many years. I arrived at his home about mid-morning and greeted everyone and settled into a chair as we talked things that had happened since the last visit and reminisce about old memories.

Lunch time arrived and we started for the table to eat some lunch. Now I need to tell you little background. When I was growing up I did not like anything on my hamburgers but meat and the bun. Nothing! Nada! This friend and I spent a lot of time together our 1st, 2nd,and 3rd grade years before we moved away, so his mother knew full well my likes and dislikes. Now back to the table.

We all settled at the table. Pat and I had not seen each other for nearly 8 years let alone be at his mom's house. She decided to have hamburgers, which by this time was one of my pyramid foods. She sat the burger in front of me and said, "I know you still don't want anything but meat and bread". Folks, my jaw dropped and I laughed so hard I couldn't eat. This woman remembered my eating habits from so long ago. I told her that I had grown a little and requested some mayo and a slice of cheese. Even though I didn't think much of it then, I now realaize that we make impressions on people when we don't know it.

The last memory I will bore you with happened a few years after getting married. No, this has nothing to do with my wife's cooking. If you could see me, you would know that she cooks just fine, but this has everything to do with food and too much of it.

For many years we tried our hardest to be with both sides of the family every holiday. A few years ago it was easier because my parents lived a hour and a half north of my in-laws. So we would go there for Thanksgiving lunch and come back to the in-laws for dinner. That is what happened this time. We ate at my folk's and then went by the in-laws and had another big meal Two in one day. Needless to say I was pretty miserable but well satisfied. Now if I had known that somewhere I had been exposed to a bad stomach virus I believe I would have toned down the eating that day. About 11:00 that night the virus awoke and so did I. I stayed awake the rest of the night in the most important room in the house leaning against a wall. I can't ever remember ever being that sick before or since.

Whether you have traditional memories of Thanksgiving or some strange ones, Thanksgiving is a time for us to stop for a few minutes and remember all the blessings that God has provided for us. So if you are alone or if you are getting together with extended family, which we will do today, pause and remember what God has done for you.