We Give Thee Thanks

The idea of roasting our very first turkey this Thanksgiving thrilled me. This is our tenth Thanksgiving celebration since we moved here in the US and I thought it was about time I try my hand at it. But when I was at the grocery store with my daughter going over my list (which I downloaded online), I was intimidated by the rock hard frozen turkey. I then called my mother-in-law, Mama Bernie ( I always call my in-laws whenever I'm in doubt-- they are my walking Wikipedia). When she heard a sick voice on the other end of the line, she suggested that I should just take a look at the grocery store's pre-order turkey dinner.

Curious but hesitant, I went to the deli section where low and behold I saw the turkey dinner with all the sides. The delicious sight and smell, along with the freedom from cooking while sick, convinced me to pre-order our turkey dinner.

So here I am curled up in bed, clutching tissues in my bedroom while my husband and daughter are all dressed up in their holiday get-up. They've already gone to church and to the grocery to pick up our turkey dinner order. My two other kids are coming home soon from volunteering for a 10k fun run. As the TV blares in the living room with the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade and my husband fusses over what time we'll heat up the turkey, I can feel the holiday spirit here in our household.

My time in bed resting allows me to contemplate what I am thankful for, and boy the list is long! I want to thank Him for the wonderful gifts of family, friends, and the gifts of peace and happiness... just as the text message I got this morning from a dear friend says, Thanksgiving is not about the spread on the table nor the material things you possess. It is about what’s in your heart.

So whether we're having turkey from the store or from the oven, it does not matter; what matters is the heartfelt appreciation and gratitude I have inside... Happy Thanksgiving one and all!