What Thanksgiving Means To Me

Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday. I have wonderful memories of Turkey
Day at my MomMom's house with lots of food, family, and fun. My aunt, uncle, and cousins, from Ohio, would always come into town and we would just spend the entire weekend together doing house projects for MomMom, playing games, going to the park, etc. It was just so wonderful to be together. And MomMom was such a special woman. I miss her so much - she is who helped give me my love for cooking and feeding the masses. I had no idea when I was little that the masses would live under my roof! I know she has a front row seat in Heaven for all the antics of my boys and Mia and Zeke too.

Anyway, Thanksgiving remains my favorite because it is about the people and not the things. I love that it comes first because I really think that it would get lost if it came after Christmas. My rule has always been, "NO CHRISTMAS BEFORE THANKSGIVING DINNER!" That means lights, music, movies - everything! I'm sorry if you don't agree, but it really just does mean that much to me. The things that we are most thankful for do not change like technology does. Our salvation, family, love, friendship, etc. are all institutions fueled by God's love and we all know that He doesn't change. He is so constant and boy are we thankful for that! Those are the things that somehow get swept under the the tree skirt hidden underneath all the presents at Christmastime for so many people. PLEASE DON'T GET ME WRONG. I also love Christmas...I (especially now that I have children) just like to start off the season making sure the presence of thankfulness for those most important things in our lives doesn't get pushed aside. Once we eat Thanksgiving dinner - gearing up for Christmastime begins. We watch a Christmas movie - this year it is the new Veggietales "It's a Meaningful Life." Trust me - I am not a grinch by any stretch of the imagination!

This year I have more than ever to be thankful for - my immediate family is complete as we know it, we have four perfect little boys that God has let us borrow for a little while to raise, we all have our health, I am married to my best friend, we have been blessed despite our circumstances, and the list can go on and on and on...

Most importantly, we have a Savior that covers us from our baggage, from all of our yuck. Why wouldn't we want to proclaim Him in all we do and say?

So, I am interested in hearing what your Thanksgiving traditions are. Hope you have a blessed time with family and/or friends and that you can spend time sharing with them all the things you are thankful for!