Anticipating the Holidays

It’s in the air, the anticipation, the preparation, and the smells from the kitchen. I have a cake cooling on the counter, a pan of brownies in the oven, a pot of green beans in the crock pot and there are plans for homemade Mac and Cheese later.

With all this busyness the payoff is the gathering tomorrow at my sister’s house for our family thanksgiving.

In my blog hopping this morning there was a very similar theme going on. It seems that as the holidays grow nearer our thoughts are more focused on the things to come then the things of today. I know for myself with all the turmoil on the nightly news who would not want to place all their attention on sweet potato soufflé and looking for the perfect stuffing recipe.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner I am thinking about my life and all that I am thankful for. It at times is difficult to set aside the other aspect of life that at times scream louder then the praises, yet the wonderful thing about anticipation and preparation is that it has a unique way of refocusing my thoughts.

Every year I have a dilemma. I want everything to be the same, yet that bumps up against the desire to try something new. Traditions are such a huge part of the holidays for me. The things we do, grandmas dishes we use, the memories all these things kindle.

I have a vision in my head of the perfect thanksgiving. The beautiful table, set with fall colors and the shimmer of candle light and the food beautiful displayed in serving bowls down the center of the table with the center piece being a golden brown roasted turkey. We all gather around the table for wonderful conversation and an even more wonderful food. The meal is enjoyed leisurely, savored to the fullest.

After dinner it is time to pull out the photograph albums, light the fire, tune the stereo to some wonderful Christmas music and settle in after a wonderful meal with my pie and coffee.

I am going to hold on to this the vision of this perfect Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving in my head for the reality will be closer to noisy raucous children, barking dogs, cat’s jumping up on the counter and the constant video games playing in the back ground while the dinner rolls are burning in the oven.

In an effort to remain in my dream thanksgiving for a bit longer I am going to concentrate on the things in my life that I am truly thankful for:

  1. My relationship with my Heavenly Father

  2. My wonderful husband

  3. My sweet daughter

  4. The fact that my son is healthy and has a job

  5. My accountability sisters

  6. That my daughter and I can now work side by side in the kitchen.

  7. That my husband has a job

  8. That we do not live above our means

  9. That my pantry is full

  10. And hopefully next year we can have thanksgiving at my house!

So how do you spend the holidays?

What are your favorite Holiday taditions?

What is your perfect thanksgiving?

What are you thankful for this season?

Blessings
Robin

Comments

Kim said…
I used to have that Norman Rockwell print :-) I gave all my N.R. prints to a dear friend when we moved here. Anyway, I didn't think we'd even be celebrating Thanksgiving this year but we happen to be going to Buenos Aires for a mini conference with the other missionaries from our mission and have been invited to participate with a larger group of missionaries (from several missions) for a Thanksgiving meal! Don't know if we'll have turkey with all the trimmings or something more Argentine in nature, but I'm just excited to be celebrating at all! :-) Keeping my mind occupied so I don't spend the day thinking about the kids and missing them. They're gathering at their grandparents' house for the day along with some of the other extended family.
November 21, 2008 at 6:29 PM
Terri Tiffany said…
This is a tough one! I am thankful I am in my own home this thanksgiving. Last year, when my husband lost his job, we went to SC for a church building job and had to stay in an extended stay hotel.We spent the holiday alone at a restaurant watching other families together. This year, he is unemplyed still, but we are putting together a business, and we are in our own home and a boy we know will come eat with us!
It isn't the Thanksgiving I am used to but neither is my life now but I am grateful to be healthy and here and listening to God's plan for our lives.
November 22, 2008 at 8:26 AM
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