It is one week from Thanksgiving.

The day we stop and for once hopefully become thankful for what we are abundantly blessed with in our lives.
So many have so little and even if we have the large table full of assorted dishes that will fill ourselves to a comfortable fullness.
I pray we stop and say thank you to the one who blesses us with all that we have.
It is no accident that we set a day aside for ‘giving thanks’.
In fact it is something we should do more often than our once a year gathering.
It is good to become grateful for many blessings given to us.
I remember as a young person we would go to our grandparents house for a day of food and desserts.
The thanksgiving day parade on the console tv was part of the tradition too.
We would fuss with rollers in our hair or later a hot curler to make ourselves more presentable.
It was considered a dress up day.
No jeans or a casual look.
When we were small we wore dresses and tights with shiny shoes.
The table was set with beautiful china, cloth napkins and crystal goblets.
The candles with flames that flickered and the light above the table would reflect a beautiful display of color on the cream colored ceiling.
The ladies would gather in the kitchen as our grandmother would stir the pots and prepare the food.
The men would gather in the living room away from the women and children chattering.
It was always traditional in style and recipes.
Always predictable.
I love the memory I have of the beautiful table and the time shared.
It wasn’t always a warm fuzzy feeling but it was a memory.
Sometimes it would be nice to go back in time and do it once more.
To see my grandmother busy in her kitchen stirring the pots on her simple stove.
But that is not possible she has been gone many years now.
So we create our own memories and traditions.
Only ours is more relational and more relaxed.
We will have the fire in the fireplace and the children playing.
It all adds to the family atmosphere.
One week from now we will be busy in the kitchen preparing a meal and we will stop and
for a few minutes share together what we are thankful for.
In that process I pray we will remember
it is always good to say ‘thank-you.’