Come To The Thanksgiving Table
When I was asking the Lord what I would write about for this blog post, I thought about a series that my Pastors are teaching at my church... called Tables. I was reading my
notes from one of the messages and while I’m not a verbatim note taker, this is
what I had written that Pastor Mike said… November always represents the
Thanksgiving Table. The Table is always relational, formational, directional,
and God always directs us toward wholeness when He prepares the table for us. The Table also brings us "face to face" with each other, causing direct eye contact. Face to face communication is not so common in this social media world we live in, yet we can change that with a simple decision to be "present" to a friend or family member, but having a meal together, having tea, or meeting for coffee, just "be-ing" there is so important to building relationships that are solid and meaningful. I
was thinking how true this is when I sit with a friend or several friends at
the Tea Table. It is always a time of respite, a time to unwind and relax. When
we sit at a Tea Table, we intentionally think…rest, quiet, peaceful, and
purposeful conversation. Although, there are many times we have great laughs
and a lot of fun. Of course there are proper ways of taking tea and I try to
adhere to the rules for the most part, but sometimes every little thing is not
done just perfect. Especially like the day my friend and I were at the Ohenry
Hotel having Tea and my clotted cream rolled off my knife onto the chair arm and
bounced to the table! Well, we could hardly contain ourselves. I quickly
scooped that cream up, cut off the part the hit the surface and kept on eating!
Once I was with a friend at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seattle having Afternoon Tea.
They did not serve Devonshire Cream for the scones with our tea so I asked the server if they
did not have it. She curtsied and stated that at the present time they were not
serving Devonshire Cream because the cows in Devon were not producing milk right
now. I almost burst out laughing in her face because I couldn’t figure out how
in the world she would know such a thing about cows half way across the world😂!
Devonshire Cream is very expensive and most tea rooms do not serve the real
thing, it is a mock cream they make themselves, so you can imagine why my
reaction was such as it was! So if you go to Tea with me, most likely there
will be some good 'ol laughter going on because I have decided since this
diagnosis of Lymphoma, that laughter is something I look for and take advantage
of any opportunity to partake.
Thanksgiving always seems to be overtaken by Christmas these
days. We all seem to feel that we must start the Christmas decorating before
Thanksgiving. I’m not sure why we do this, It’s not as if we can’t keep the decorations
up after Christmas. But I’m as guilty as the next one in doing what I can to
get the Christmas spirit going before December gets here! This year is a little
different though, as I do not have the energy to do what I would normally do.
I’m trying to focus on being thankful for Thanksgiving, but when I think of
what I need to get done before Thanksgiving Day, I have to take a deep breath
and think to myself…relax, it will get done! My son, Jeffrey is coming to help
me on Wednesday to start the process. He was in the hospital for two weeks
recently so he is still out of work. I’m very thankful he is coming to help me,
otherwise I could not do this, even though I want everyone here at my home
instead of doing it anywhere else or going to a restaurant, when the energy
isn’t there you sure can’t make it be there. My Mama used to have a saying…”I
made myself do it”, and we always quote her at times like these😀.
This time of year causes me to think of times past, when
Grandma would cook the turkey, then Mama took over cooking the turkey and then
I took it over. We hand down tradition as the younger ones get older and
realize, it’s time for me to step up and take over things Mama did. My
granddaughter Ashland, sent me a card a couple of weeks ago, thanking me for
establishing traditions, cooking the turkey so she and Justin could break the
wishbone, cooking the noodles, and thinking about how the Macy’s parade plays
on the TV and Uncle Jeffrey watching the football game after lunch! She also
talked about how she has taken over making the green bean casserole now that
she’s married. I love how my family
loves the traditions established in my family many years ago. Both of my
grandmothers made their own egg noodles, a German tradition. It is expected at
Thanksgiving, just like the dressing balls that I make in the crockpot. We all
have certain dishes that are “expected” to be on the table that day.
I am thankful for my family, this year maybe more than ever,
because health issues have abounded in my family in 2017 and we are praying and believing that 2018 will be a new season for us🙏!
My prayer for you this Thanksgiving is that you will be with
your family at the Thanksgiving Table and if not with family, then at a
friend’s Thanksgiving Table. I pray that if there are grievances, they will be
forgiven and forgotten and that God will bless you and your family with
bountiful blessings this season. As I stated earlier in this post, God always leads to wholeness when he prepares the Table for us and I was thinking how any mother who prepares a Thanksgiving meal or any meal for that matter, would be hoping and praying that her family would be led to wholeness when they come together at their family Table. So, if you have unforgiveness toward anyone this season, it would be a good time to lay that down and forgive that person.
No one should be alone at Thanksgiving, so if
you know someone who may possibly be eating alone, invite them to sit at your
Table!
Thanksgiving never comes around that I don’t remember this
song that I learned at Old Richmond School many years ago.
Come Ye Thankful People Come
1. Come, ye thankful
people, come,
Raise the song of harvest home!
All is safely gathered in,
Ere the winter storms begin;
God, our Maker, doth provide
For our wants to be supplied;
Come to God's own temple, come;
Raise the song of harvest home!
2. We ourselves are God's own field,
Fruit unto his praise to yield;
Wheat and tares together sown
Unto joy or sorrow grown;
First the blade and then the ear,
Then the full corn shall appear;
Grant, O harvest Lord, that we
Wholesome grain and pure may be.
3. For the Lord our God shall come,
And shall take the harvest home;
From His field shall in that day
All offences purge away,
Giving angels charge at last
In the fire the tares to cast;
But the fruitful ears to store
In the garner evermore.
4. Then, thou Church triumphant come,
Raise the song of harvest home!
All be safely gathered in,
Free from sorrow, free from sin,
There, forever purified,
In God's garner to abide;
Come, ten thousand angels, come,
Raise the glorious harvest home!
Raise the song of harvest home!
All is safely gathered in,
Ere the winter storms begin;
God, our Maker, doth provide
For our wants to be supplied;
Come to God's own temple, come;
Raise the song of harvest home!
2. We ourselves are God's own field,
Fruit unto his praise to yield;
Wheat and tares together sown
Unto joy or sorrow grown;
First the blade and then the ear,
Then the full corn shall appear;
Grant, O harvest Lord, that we
Wholesome grain and pure may be.
3. For the Lord our God shall come,
And shall take the harvest home;
From His field shall in that day
All offences purge away,
Giving angels charge at last
In the fire the tares to cast;
But the fruitful ears to store
In the garner evermore.
4. Then, thou Church triumphant come,
Raise the song of harvest home!
All be safely gathered in,
Free from sorrow, free from sin,
There, forever purified,
In God's garner to abide;
Come, ten thousand angels, come,
Raise the glorious harvest home!
Lyrics in Public Domain
With Thanksgiving,
Kaye
*New pictures added to Album😄
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