I was stressing a bit yesterday thinking of all the little details that my husband and I have to try to remember before cooking the Thanksgiving feast. Here's the thing: my in-laws expect a Family Feast. (You can scroll to the post below to see why).
Now...I don't mind helping my hubby cook...I actually enjoy cooking. It's just easier in my own kitchen. It is really hard to try to think ahead and wonder "is there a large enough dish for the sweet potato casserole? What is going to be open on Thanksgiving nite when we are actually preparing many of the foods? Most people celebrate Thanksgiving on....well....THANKSGIVING!
We are driving 4 hours to a house that we don't own, to cook in a kitchen that is not really ours, to try to bring as many groceries with us, plus luggage, etc. all in one car. It does cause me to have a little stress. We are the ones "throwing the party" according to my sister in law so yes, this means the menu can be our decision. but...we do try to stick to the more traditional foods. Yes....my father in law is nice enough to get the turkey....it would be virtually impossible for Dave and I to transport the turkey and keep everyone safe from food poisoning.....so I am thankful that my father in law is taking care of the turkey...at least it will be thawed out and ready to stuff by the time we get there! (i hope......)
Yes, it is a perk that my in-laws pay for a maid to come and clean the house first. And I just found out that this will all be taken care of before we have to get in there. Around our house....my daughters and I are the maids! lol.....seriously.....it's not something we are used to. It sometimes causes me stress because I am a perfectionist!
But...this is the T----family holiday so I just go along with whatever it is they want. It means alot to my mother and father in law. and really......
We need to remember WHY we are celebrating this holiday!
It is for the freedom of religion that we enjoy.
It is to say thanks to the Native Americans and the Pilgrims for working together and paving a way for our country. The Pilgrims wanted to be able to worship God in their way. Thus they fled England.
We are thankful we can worship God in our way.
Whichever church denonmination you are, or which ever method of worship you prefer......it is because of the freedoms we enjoy that we set aside this day to say THANKS!
And....thanks be to God....for providing us with food, shelter, family/friends, a country with freedoms, rights, laws, and many other things we sometimes take for granted.
Will everyone like my green bean/mozzarella/tomato dish?
Will the "kids" in the family help out with clean up, displaying a good attitude? (no, we don't get to hire the maid for cleaning up after the feast...she only comes in to wash floors and bathrooms so my mother in law doesn't have to do all that before everyone gets there...there are 18 people coming this year.....a little less...but still a big crowd)
Will everyone like the favors?
What about the wine and other drinks my husband is providing? Will they be ok?
What if I run out of potatoes??
All of these temporal, earthly thoughts cause stress...and that's not the point of the holiday.
In all things give thanks!
So....no more stress......instead I have a plan.
I have started the shopping of certain things we can transport minus a cooler.
I have told the girls they need to start packing their clothes on Sunday as we have school Mon-Wed.
Dave and I will shop together on Saturday for anything we need that I don't remember about before he gets back from his trip......and anything else will just have to be bought early Friday morning..the day we actually are celebrating Thanksgiving.....
and...the important thing is to serve the people of the church we will be at on Thanksgiving Day, with a cheerful heart and a smiling face....and to teach the younger T----family members that this is what it is all about: serving others......giving of our time.....making others feel good....sharing the Light of His Love.....welcoming people who might be different from us....embracing new things.....
and being thankful amidst it all.......
4 comments:
It is so good to remember what we are really celebrating. It does take the edge of busyness and stress of preparing the task. Thanks for the reminder. I'll remember it the next time I get to cook the dinner.
Enjoy your holiday with the family!
Thanks Susanne..I saw you wrote a post about recent white stuff??? omgosh..from the looks of the pic it's a doozy....i'll be over to check out your article after I get my youngest off to bed :)
Yes, I feel a little stressed here as well, I was thinking alot of the same things you wrote about so it was nice for me to be reminded of we are celebrating and what we are thankful for. Have a great trip and don't worry, it will all be fine, that's what I have to keep telling myself to.
Michelle! so glad you visited here! Yes....I am trusting God that all will go well..and ya know what? even if something burns or we run out of something, the important thing is that we give God thanks for the blessings and gifts of family and time together.....and serving His people..that's what it's all about! I'll be by your blog to say Happy Thanksgiving!
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