Giving Thanks

When I think of past Thanksgivings, I remember the Hotel Mary-Etta, where various permanent residents joined our family and extended family in our apartment living room, dressed in their best, sometimes straining to use appropriate table manners, always quiet and reserved at the thought of sharing a real Thanksgiving dinner with a real family.  I think of the wild turkey, and sometimes pheasant or duck, as well, that Dad had shot, and the stuffing Mom always made but never ate, the old-fashioned ham that Aunt Ellen always brought along, sweet potatoes with melted marshmallows on the top, mashed potatoes and gravy, and cranberry sauce, slid straight out of the can onto a plate for us to slice and enjoy.  We always finished the meal with homemade pumpkin pie and real whipped cream.



Some years, we made the four hour trip to Bloomfield to share a Thanksgiving meal with Grandpa and Grandma Wegner.  The meal was virtually the same, except that Grandma usually made her cranberry sauce from scratch.  But, no matter where we were, we watched a Thanksgiving Day parade on TV, and usually a football game or two, and finished the day with leftovers and a game of Pitch or Scrabble.

The setting has changed, but our Thanksgiving rituals weren't really much different today.  I even pulled out and polished some old Hotel Mary-Etta silverware for our guests to use.  Once again, we feasted on multiple birds, since Bill decided to roast a turducken, a duck breast stuffed inside of a deboned chicken, stuffed inside of a partially deboned turkey, ordered from Louisiana, and stuffed with Jambalaya.  Bill's dad brought the dressing and cranberry-apple salad that have been a part of the Bauer Thanksgiving tradition for so many years.  Bill made his famous brussels sprouts, and helped Levi make the cranberry sauce that he loves. Other family members brought mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes and green beans.  While Victoria entertained Tobin and Evelyn yesterday afternoon, Erin and Meagan and I baked pies at Meagan's house, pumpkin, of course, served with real whipped cream, and non-dairy pumpkin pie for Levi, banana cream, cherry, and apple-blackberry.  The day ended with games and leftovers.



Today, we didn't have to look too far to be reminded of the many blessings God has given: a warm house, plenty of food to eat, children and grandchildren and extended family all around us.

In recent days, I've enjoyed re-reading the book of Colossians.  There, I've been reminded to thank God for everything he gives.  So, I'll finish with these verses, which are appropriate for Thanksgiving, and every other day, too:

"Above all...put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.  And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts...And be thankful. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, as you teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God.  And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."  Colossians 3: 14-17

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