Thanksgiving - Give Thanks to God

     Today is Thanksgiving Day in the United States of America. This year, I was able to celebrate with some of my family I created with my husband and some of my birth family including my elderly mother. I have in the past celebrated very differently including eating turkey spaghetti in a blizzard when unable to drive to dinner anywhere. I also have spent Thanksgiving miles and oceans away from any family while serving in the Army. No matter where I have been or whom I have been with, I have been able to really reflect and celebrate Thanksgiving Day joyously. 

     I give thanks, because I choose to, I give thanks to God for all my blessings known and unknown to me. It's easy to see my many blessings - family, a home, abundant food and drink, and enough of everything else including wealth and health. The unknown blessings are the things I will never know. I hope and pray and work to make a difference in others lives. I choose to be good and strive for holiness. I am on a lifetime journey of following Christ and imitating Him by love of God and neighbor. 

    Yes, this year I celebrated the day with a beautiful floral centerpiece, candles, up-cycled cloth napkins and table runner, and all-American food. My meal started with a pumpkin soup course and ended with pumpkin mousse on cheesecake - two new twists. I also ate turkey, dressing/stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, vegetables, and an assortment of pie including OREO pie. 

     As my family gains new members, it also gains new flavors and dishes including a great-nephews needed mushroom pie one year. Everyone was making pie requests and the great-nephew made a pie request based upon his mother (a niece by marriage) favorite food of mushrooms. The great-nephew got mushroom pie for his mom. It was great to see love manifested in pie. Remember to add flavor and new foods when you add family. 

    Holidays are great with cooperation and collaboration. Every event needs an organizer. I love to have people volunteer for what they want to do and then fill in everything else. Keep a box of items for the holidays to celebrate. Pull it out and add new things. Sort the old and re-arrange things. Up-cycle, reuse, and recycle and do it all on a budget for time and money. Then sit back and enjoy the unexpected and think what a wonderful world.