What memories does Thanksgiving evoke in your mind and heart? Is there a special year that stands out to you? My very favorite memory was the year before my husband and I were married. That was the year I had the joy of hosting Dale and our parents in my humble home.
I was a school teacher living in a 14′ x70′ trailer. The kitchen was so small that if I needed to open the refrigerator while there were people at the table, someone would have to stand and scoot their chair in! Because of the size of that space, I decided to take the table into the living room and make it the “dining room” for the day. This was long before the days of Pinterest, of course, so Good Housekeeping Magazine was the source for my simple decorations, part of which included gingerbread place cards. The guest’s names were written in icing and set at their place at the table.
Life is fragile, they say. Yes, it is fragile, like a Cone Flower. Once full of vigor and beauty, after a frost the ground is littered with the soft remains of petals. The tall stem bends and bows low. Life is the same. In Joshua 13:1 we read,
Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the Lord said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years…
Joshua knew he was old, and then God reminded him of that truth! We all know that with age comes infirmities. Some are debilitating. Some rob people of the ability to move, while other illnesses rob people of the ability to think clearly or to speak. We don’t know how our lives will play out, and while none of us wish to be “Old and stricken,” we just don’t know what the Lord will allow in our lives, nor how our lives will end.
Since I am hosting Thanksgiving this year, I have made a timeline for myself that began a few weeks ago. It’s been so helpful to get projects done and pre-baking in the freezer.
Someone asked if I would share my agenda for Thanksgiving day preparation, and I am happy to post my schedule. Keep in mind, however, that I am having help from my girls with a charcuterie board, sides and dessert, so those items will not be part of my plans.
I will also add the specific times for my Thursday agenda. That way I will know that the turkey has 45 minutes to one hour to rest before carving (it will be covered with foil and dish towels to keep warm). While the turkey is resting, the gravy will be finished up and the biscuits will be baked. Any other items that need to be warmed will also be put in the oven.
Lord willing and the biscuits rise, dinner will be served at 1 o’clock!
Are you following a minute by minute schedule that will keep you on time? What else do you add to your prep?
Happy Thanksgiving, friends! I will post again next week!
Have you ever gotten past a “big” holiday only to realize that you missed it? Oh, you celebrated with the food, the decorations and the flare, but you got so caught up in all the trappings that you didn’t really celebrate the true holiday. I think we’ve all been there a time or two (or twenty)!
In order to help us not regret “missing Thanksgiving,” I think it’s important to do some thinking and planning NOW to ensure that the holiday will be celebrated in a way that is a blessing to all who gather because we focused on what was really, truly important. That would not mean the lumpy gravy, the squashed rolls or the dry turkey, but on giving thanks. It’s just so easy to sit down to a bountiful table, everyone starving and ready to dive in, have the blessing for the meal, finish with dessert and football and totally overlook stopping for worship and givng of thanks to our great God for ALL His blessings.
Let me make a couple suggestions to help you plan for this time – no matter the size of the group that gathers.
If you’re married, talk to your husband about how you could incorporate a time of giving thanks into your day. Ask for his input and depend on him to help implement this (if possible).
Consider the food. If the meal is hot and on the table, the time of the blessing might not be the best time to also go around and have everyone share the things for which they’re thankful. That’s spoken from the hostess side who wants the food to be hot! Perhaps during the meal or afterwards would be better.
Let everyone that’s coming know that they need to be thinking about the blessings they could share. Being prepared is helpful for everyone.
Reading a portion of Scripture after dinner would be a great tradition. Psalm 34, 44:4-8, 92, 95, 100, 111, or 138 would all be good choices.
Sing a hymn together. If your family isn’t musical, use Alexa to play it and join in singing!
Spend time praying for one another.
My family has had what we call “Puff Moments” for many years on Thanksgiving Day. We gather in the living room after supper and share our blessings from the past year. There are inevitably many tears shed as we rehearse the ways God has answered prayer or helped in trials. The Puffs get passed around the room! What a sweet time it always is.
Plan ahead and prepare your own heart and that of your guests so you won’t miss out on giving thanks this Thanksgiving.
Share one blessing from this past year. I have my Puff ready!
RefreshHer 