Happy Thanks-living!

It’s Thanksgiving Day. Really? Doesn’t feel like it, doesn’t look like it, doesn’t smell like it. But that’s what the calendar indicates. So, we’ll go with that. But so far today, there just isn’t much that has the “flavor” of Thanksgiving Day about it. This is one of only several times in 35 years that I’ve not cooked a turkey on this day. It’s a lot of work fixing Thanksgiving dinner as many of you women well know…but I have to confess, I sure miss it this year. Preparing the dinner with all the “fixin’s” for my family was something I honestly enjoyed doing…partially because I love to cook and mostly because I love my family.

Several of you have asked if they celebrate Thanksgiving here. No. The Nicaraguans don’t care a fig whether the Pilgrims survived their first winter in the New Land or not. Truthfully, I often wonder if our nation is a “thankful” nation anymore. And, if the steady and purposeful elimination of the mention of God from all aspects of our “public” lives continues, I question whether we, as a nation, will be able to continue to celebrate Thanksgiving…after all, to Whom could we give thanks? Norman Rockwell’s picture of a family celebrating Thanksgiving may someday be more nostalgic than we might imagine.

Back to here. Thanksgiving in Nicaragua. The grocery stores have jumped on the American bandwagon and are carrying frozen turkeys for those diehard or homesick Americanos who refuse to celebrate any other way. We were so excited to see that and had initially thought we would go ahead and get a small one and fix as traditional a dinner as we could any. Then one of us had the forbearance of mind to check the price of the tempting Tom…YOWZA!!!! They ranged in price from $60-$90, depending on size and brand. Big Butterballs cost big bucks! It didn’t take long to make the decision to leave the frozen fowls for others who might have a stronger sense of tradition (and deeper pockets) than do we.

So did that mean we would have no turkey??? Heaven forbid!!! We found a package of turkey lunchmeat which suddenly gained great appeal and so today, we dined on exquisitely thinly sliced processed turkey breast, positioned beautifully between two pieces of bread from the local bakery and lightly glazed with some imported mayo. This delightful entrée was accompanied with a salty side dish of chips…Pringles, I might add. Topped off with a glass of Diet Pepsi and we were set!

Now, before you feel too sorry for us, I have to tell you that we’ve been invited over to some friends’ house for dinner tonight along with some other missionaries. And, it’s my understanding they will have both turkey and ham (another pretty pricey import here…a small Farmland spiral sliced ham is between $30 and $50, again depending on size). I heard a team brought down some canned pumpkin and sweet potatoes so the dinner is supposed to be very traditional. The anticipation of what’s to come made my turkey lunchmeat sandwich much easier to swallow…so to speak.

And, last Sunday night, our church had a Thanksgiving potluck dinner with the church buying the turkeys. It's an international church but one might think it's comprised of only Baptists with all the eating that was going on that night! So, it's not like we have been or will be totally fowl-free this holiday.

It’s true that today I miss the smells of preparing Thanksgiving dinner but more than that, I miss my family. I miss the constant chatter of the kids, the question of the day, “How much longer ‘til we eat?”, the moans and groans that come from those with too-full tummies. I miss giving and getting hugs, the kids stretched out on the floor in front of the fireplace, the cut-throat games of Krazy Bee Rummy, the snuggling on the couch and yes, it’s true, tonight, I will miss that satisfying sense of exhaustion that often accompanies an act of effort laced with love.

I miss the smell of sage but I miss more the smell of a freshly-scrubbed Jeremiah. I miss the glisten of the glaze on the turkey, but I miss more the brightness of Maddie’s smile. I miss the comfort of hot bread ready to be buttered, but I miss more the warmth of Sam’s arms wrapped around “Grams”. I miss the sound of the oven timer going off repeatedly as each dish finishes its time there, but I miss more the sound of Benjamin’s contagious laughter. I miss my old crowded kitchen…not because it was necessarily small but because it was filled counter to counter with loved ones - with our daughters, our son-in-law and our precious grandchildren. Turkey doesn’t make Thanksgiving special, family does.

All this “missing” could make for a really down day. But God won’t let me stew in my “missing” like a turkey does in its own juices. He’s been faithful to remind me this week of so many of my blessings. And maybe that the emphasis on one special day of giving thanks isn’t necessarily what He wants. He had put before us this week, several opportunities to give…not just out of our pockets, but out of our day and out of our selves, to folks here who consider a whole chicken a feast. Never mind the fact they’ve never even tasted turkey. We have been able to provide food to a family and medicine to another. We have been able to give counsel to a troubled marriage. To bring words of encouragement to one who was discouraged. We have a young girl, who has come off the streets of prostitution, and her 1 year old baby, whom we are going to be helping with food and gifts for Christmas.

It is with great sincerity when I say that God is revealing to me, reminding me and teaching me I have so much to be thankful for and whether I have turkey today or not is not even on the radar screen. I think God would much rather I stay in a state of Thanks-living rather than celebrate one day of Thanksgiving. I pray you all have a blessed day with your family, your friends and our God.