Sneak, Sneak, Here Comes Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving, the holiday, not the state of thankfulness, has been creeping up on me for quite awhile.

Creep, duck down out of sight, creep some more. Get closer, creep, lie in wait, Then, all of a sudden, POUNCE!

It has jumped out of hiding, coming at me like a cat on the attack while I was busy with my watercolor class. I am not ready for this. In fact, I am not even ready to get ready, I don't have any lists made.

How many people are coming? I am not sure--eighteen for sure, maybe twenty, maybe twenty five. Who knows? I have been having Thanksgiving dinner at my house for so many years that I figure the more the merrier. Come as you are, bring a friend and some food (a bag of chips or a piece of fruit will do). There will be lots of turkey (I cook two), taters, and the usual thanksgiving fare including pumpkin desserts. I know from experience the Lord supplies all that we need. Come one and all. If there isn't room at a table, have a seat on the couch. I have TV trays somewhere around here.

Dinner time will be filled with laughter and our traditional calls back and forth between the dining room and living room tables.

"We've got turkey, yes we do. We've got turkey. How about you?"
"We've got cider, yes we do. We've got cider. How about you?"
"We've got teenagers, yes we do. We've got teenagers. How about you?"
"We've got grandmas, yes we do. We've got grandmas. How about you?"  And so it goes.

Of course, after dinner there will be the usual dish washing, board games, card games, word games, snacking, and (new this year) the recorded Seahawk game.

As I said, I am not ready. All month I have been dropping miscellaneous stuff by the front door instead of  putting it away when I make my heavy-laden grand entry. There is a plastic tote full of over-sized Legos, stuffed animals, castles and knights that had been arranged in my car trunk for the Harvest Festival at church. My theme was 'Where's Waldo?' He was hidden between Big Bird and the castle. Anyway, it is sitting beside the piano. There is also Licorice's cat carrier sitting close by. Oh, there is the sack of clothes for the clothing bank that I removed from the back seat of the car when I picked up some grand-kids last week.

These aren't the only things to redistribute. A sketch pad is on the sofa, paid bills on the window seat next to my chair, watercolor stuff spread over the dining room table as well as the kitchen bar, and some dried leaves have found their way onto the carpet.

Now back to Thanksgiving. I need to shop--turkey, cider, cranberries, ingredients for pumpkin-spice cupcakes, butter, celery and bread for dressing, rolls and mayo for sandwiches, At least the potatoes, beans, fresh veggies and fruit, salads, and more desserts will be brought by family and friends.

I was wrong when I said I wasn't ready for Thanksgiving. Thursday won't be about whether or not a tote of toys might still be by the front door or there might be some leaves on the carpet. It won't be about whether or not there might be only two desserts or at least five. I am and will continue to be ready for family and friends to gather in my home.

Speaking of home, my granddaughter is flying in from college tomorrow. When I talked to her yesterday, she sounded like a little kid on Christmas Eve--so excited to be with all her family, extended family, and friends for a few days. She is especially excited to watch the Seahawks with a family of fans.

I am so blessed. As I have written this, my thoughts have jumped from all I have to do, to all I have to be thankful for, how blessed I am, and finally to singing songs of praise like Chris Tomlin's "Shout to the Lord, let the earth hear us sing, power and majesty, praise to the King..."

Have a very blessed day of Thanksgiving next week. Sing praises to our King.

Jeannette-- I'm off to shop. "Here turkey, turkey."

Something from Nothing

Tonight was one of those nights I didn't want to fix myself something to eat, but I knew that wasn't the best solution to my inertia problem--neither was microwaved popcorn. Sadly, all the left-overs from previous meals had been eaten. I felt it was too late to thaw something, and my kitchen was devoid of food. At least in my eyes it was. Oh, what to do? What to do?

I went with the flow and ended up with a very tasty meal made from a little bit of something, yet a lot of nothing. I took the last two slices of drying-up bread from the sack (heels of course), the last of my cheddar cheese (got it on sale), half a yellow pepper (hiding in the back of the crisper, but not slimy yet), and the last of my grapes (keeping the pepper company all week).  With a presto-chango and an abracadabra, I soon was treating my taste buds to a grilled cheese sandwich accompanied by sliced peppers and cold, pop-to-the-bite grapes.

What a perfect way to end a long day--creating something wonderful out of almost nothing.

As I was giving myself a high-five and a slap on the back for my great work and creativity, the Lord sort of patted me on the top of my head and said, "Well done! Now try to create something from nothing." It wasn't a challenge or a boast. It was merely a simple reminder of his awesome power. Yet, it soon became much more than that--a kitchen parable.

While standing at my sink washing up the day's dishes, my thoughts turned to people, especially children and young adults, who feel like my kitchen cupboards and fridge had previously looked--either empty or holding nothing desirable or even usable. Hopeless, in other words, and having no future.

Well, if I can make a wonderful supper from almost nothing, and God can create the universe from absolutely nothing, just think what he can do with people who think they are nothing.

Jeremiah 29:11New International Version (NIV)11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

If only such people knew how much God loved them, sacrificed for them, and had planned for them. If only!! There is so much work to be done, and so little time to do it. So the question is, "Am I willing to work while I am still a work in progress?"

Since I will never be a perfect vessel this side of heaven, I had better do the best with what I have been given on this side of the pearly gates.   Jan