Happy Thanksgiving! Give Thanks With A Grateful Heart

A look back at our blessings.

Have a lovely Thanksgiving Day.

Psalm 107:1 

 Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, 

For His lovingkindness is everlasting. 

Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men; 

but be careful that you do not take the day, and leave out the gratitude.  

E.P. Powell

Our Favorite Thanksgiving Menu and A Few Recipes

Everyone has their favorite foods for Thanksgiving.  Always turkey though.   When you get married, your spouse has their favorites.  For example, growing up, my husband's family always served mashed potatoes; my family always had sweet potatoes.  I change the mashed ones up by making them GARLIC mashed potatoes. :)   Your  kids will learn to have their favorites, too.  Ours love those little  baby corn spears; one craves the green bean casserole, the other prefers fresh green beans.   I occasionally introduce a new item to the menu which is OK with everyone as long as the basics are there.    I can't remember what I deleted one year and it was like a mutiny, so I pretty much stick to the menu.

Usually our meal is just our family and the grandparents of which there is now just one, although we often invite others each year.  Some years my brother comes for Thanksgiving but since he and his wife were just here a few weeks ago, they won't be here this year.  We love for friends stop by for dessert or to visit later in the day or we take in a movie or play games.   Looks like this year may be just the four of us which is always a pleasure.   [We are having company for dinner tonight, though. :)]  Our older college age son will be staying here for a few days which is a gift in itself.  :)  He and our younger son are putting up and decorating our two Christmas trees on Friday (another family tradition).

Here is our typical Thanksgiving menu that keeps getting added to over the years, always served on our wedding china with crystal ever since our kids were old enough to hold a glass.

Thanksgiving Menu

Celery with Dips
Baby Corn Spears
Black Olives

Cranberry Juice / Ginger Ale 

Roasted Turkey  

Gravy made from Turkey Gimlets 

Oyster Dressing 

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Green Bean Casserole

Fresh Green Beans

Fruit Salad

Hot Rolls w. Butter

Pumpkin Pie

Key Lime Pie

Coffee
Hot Tea

This little couple is always part of our Thanksgiving table as well. :)

Here are a few of my recipes but I'm sure you have ones you like to prepare each year as well:

Oyster Dressing

This is my own recipe.  Gather 2 boxes of Stovetop Stuffing + bread crumbs from whatever bread is in the house + butter and/or stock + water chestnuts, fresh cranberries AND 1/2 can of whole cranberry sauce, pecans (all chopped) + smoked oysters (pureed into a paste).  Mix all together, making sure dressing is moist with added butter, water and/or stock.  I usually make this a day ahead and put in the oven Thanksgiving morning.  My kids are not too keen on the oysters but they get the mashed potatoes.  This is my husband's favorite holiday side dish.  

Gravy

I rarely make gravy except for holiday meals so I'm not very good at making it from scratch (believe me, I've tried and it's always been a disaster).   I fudge a bit and use one container of  bottled or canned gravy.  I add  the cooked gimlets were were removed from the turkey and boiled separately.  All the meat is removed and chopped, plus one sliced hard-boiled egg.  Heat and serve.  Tastes like homemade.

Raspberry Sweet Potatoes

These are not on the regular menu because of all the other starches, but I usually make these another day to eat with our leftovers.   This recipe is from an old Southern Living magazine and is one of my faves.

    Boil several sweet potatoes then peel and slice lengthwise. Layer in a greased baking dish.  On top of the sweet potatoes, rub butter and brown sugar, then top with thawed (frozen) raspberries. Bake about 35 minutes. Delicious!

Pumpkin Pie

Just use the recipe on the can of Libby's pumpkin.  It's perfect every time.  This year I bought a Publix pie which tastes SO similar to what I make.  In the next week or two I'm sure I'll bake at least two pumpkin pies for company and for  us.


I prepare most of this the day before, including the turkey and just heat in the oven for 2-3 hours at 250 degrees.    Everything is ready at one time and very little mess to clean up Thanksgiving Day.

You're wondering about the turkey...yes, I bake it the day before using the large turkey size baking bags by Reynolds.  It's then cooled and sliced (my husband's job), with the meat layered in large casserole dishes.  The secret is to save ALL the drippings in a large bowl or jar.  The next day, put the congealed drippings on top of the turkey and cover.  Reheating with the drippings on top makes it taste like it  was just cooked.   I've been doing this for years and even for holiday parties with great results. People generally compliment how moist the turkey is.   It saves you from all the mess in the kitchen just before a special meal and lets  you enjoy the day with everyone else. :)

Have fun cooking!  I really enjoy preparing this special meal for our family.

Thanksgiving / Topics of Conversation Around the Dinner Table

Sometimes large and extended family gatherings can be strained.  Eating the traditional Thanksgiving  meal together is always an "icebreaker" but here are some new ideas for you to  keep everyone involved in the conversation.

We are enrolled at a Christian school for our homeschool "umbrella".  One of the founders had this list of ideas for conversation in our weekly newsletter which I wanted to pass on to you.   Not just for Thanksgiving, but anytime you want to get the conversation rolling...

Thanksgiving Ideas 

by Linda Werner 

The week of Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of refreshment for me. The week is simple, the family time intimate, and the opportunity to think and meditate on all of God's provisions is sweet. 

This Thanksgiving week use these simple ideas to begin some conversation around your family dining table. 

1. Express thanks to someone in the room for something they did for you. 

2. I'm thankful for... Finish the sentence. 

3. If you could have the attention of the whole world for 30 seconds, what would you say? 

4. One thing I'm thankful for about our country. 

5. What is the key to success in life? Why do you say that? 

6. Tell about a lesson you learned the hard way. 

7. What are some ways life is different now than in the old days? 

8. Tell a story of a decision your ancestors made that changed the direction of their lives-and yours. 

9. Tell about a lesson you learned by watching someone else. 

10. A person I would like to honor publicly is... 

11. Time and money aside, I would rather be... 

12. Tell about an experience that changed you for the better. 

13. Tell a story about something that started out bad but had a happy ending. 

14. My first hero was _________. 

15. Tell about a time when you showed courage. 

16. Describe a teacher who had a significant influence on your life. 

17. Tell about an invention that made your life easier. 

18. The most admired public figure when I was growing up was ____." Tell a story. 

19. A famous person I've met is _____. 

20. I got in so much trouble... Tell the story! 

Have fun sharing together. These will be sweet memories that your children will not forget. 

Happy Thanksgiving 

Giving Thanks 2010 Revisiting 2009 and Continuing / Thanksgiving for the Military and our Veterans

Updated 11.11.12


My 25 days of Thanksgiving continues  with a review from 2009.

11. I am thankful for the men and women in our Armed Forces currently serving (and those who have served) to protect our nation.  Thank you for the sacrifice of your families in giving you up--some for a season, others for a lifetime.

I attended a concert under the stars last weekend and the Bach Festival Choir sang  America the Beautiful which I posted on my Facebook page today (too large for Blogger).    I dedicate this song  to all the men and women who have served and are serving our country today --especially my nephew, a Marine F-18 aviator who just returned from his second tour of duty on the USS Enterprise in the Middle East...

and my brother, his dad, who is a retired Army captain.  

Thank you, All. We honor and salute you this day.

Our National Anthem is at THIS LINK.   (This will bring tears to your eyes.)

Giving Thanks 2010 Revisiting 2009 and Continuing / Thanksgiving for My Brother

My 25 days of Thanksgiving list continues...

9. I am thankful for the gift of my brother.

My post from 2009.

My brother and his wife visited this past weekend for his 35th high school reunion here in town.  Can it have been that long?  We had a great visit--this time for just a few hours each day Thursday through Sunday.  Since neither of us is ever at a loss for words, it was packed full.  He was able to see our mom one of those days and my older son at college as well.  We even had a surprise visit from one of his sons who is in the Marines and was in Florida visiting that same weekend!  What a blessing.  

Here we are in 1958.

And in 1973.

And when he first entered the U.S. Army after college.

Retired as a Captain.

(He's now on Wikipedia for an item he designed for the Abrams Tank at THIS LINK.)

Here we are in Florence on an officer and their wives tour of Southern Italy, 1985, I think.  I was able to go on this amazing trip because I was already in Germany visiting he and his family at the time.

I love these two photos of him with his grandson.  I especially like the one on the left since I have a photo of our dad fishing  with my older son when he was about this age.

Here with three of our four sons.

At his son's engagement party, Feb. 2012

(we clean up real nice)  :)

Tonya Travelstead

The previous post above says it all, but I'll say it again.  I love you, John.  I couldn't have asked for a dearer brother.

Philemon 4 

I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers...

Giving Thanks 2010 Revisiting 2009 and Continuing / Thanksgiving for Police & Law Enforcement

7. I am thankful for our local police and their presence in our city and neighborhood.

My post from last year.

Not everyone honors and respects the police or other law enforcement personnel like we do.  Just this week in our local news were two terrible incidents involving a policeman getting stabbed and another of a policeman being attacked after a routine traffic stop.   To my dismay, we and our children live in a more violent age now than when I was young.  

Being a policeman or woman is a noble profession, similar to that of the military in many ways.  In fact, I believe it is considered to be one of the Armed Forces.  The days of the Andy Griffith-type policeman are nearly passed, and they need to be so alert as things can change in an instance. Sometimes I think the new TV  shows and movies actually give ideas to criminals rather than try to deter them from the lives they have chosen.  Whatever the reason we should give honor and be thankful to those who serve and protect us on a day-to-day basis to make our homes and families ordered and safe.  I salute them.

Giving Thanks 2010 Revisiting 2009 and Continuing / Thanksgiving

6. I am thankful that God has given me the gift of music, that I can play the piano and share that gift as well as instill it in others.

What I wrote in 2009 is at THIS LINK.

To add to that, I enjoy teaching the piano to others, adults and children. I love making music with other musicians and vocalists. I love listening to good music, especially live music of a variety of types.  

An old  friend who directs Dickens by Candlelight offered me a barter for tickets to the performance.  This year I'll be playing Christmas carols 4x before the show while guests are drinking wassail in exchange for 4 tickets,  My husband and I will be able to attend the show and take two guests with us.  After agreeing to this, I got to thinking where else I could play over the holidays, not just for barter, but for community outreach.  


Our church has been listening to and discussing the Tim Keller DVD series The Gospel in Life: Grace Changes Everything.  One of the lessons was on this very topic--Community Outreach.  I volunteered at one of the large local hospitals near us to play Christmas carols in their lobby.  I had noticed a grand piano setting there a few months ago when visiting a patient.  They were so glad to have me to do so.   I went through the application process last week (they mistakenly required me to take a TB test and a drug test, but you wouldn't have to do that if you volunteer now that we've got that all cleared up.)  I now have my official badge to work as a volunteer.  I'll be playing on each of the four Wednesdays  in December (beginning Dec. 1)  before Christmas from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.  Stop by and say hello if you're there visiting anyone or have an appointment in the physicians' building next door to the hospital.

Gifts are made to be shared.  Sometimes it's contagious.   Someone gives to you, you give to someone else and as Sandi Patti sings,  the gift goes on...  Give the gift of yourselves to someone in your area of contact this Christmas.  :)

Giving Thanks 2010 Revisiting 2009 and Continuing / Thanksgiving

What I wrote in 2009 is at THIS LINK.

5. I am thankful that my husband is able to provide for our family through his job and his decision to keep a rental house.

Updated November 5, 2012:

My husband has worked for the same company for the last 13 years.  God protected his job during the massive layoffs that they had earlier in the year.  He did not even need to take a cut in pay as many of our friends have had to do.  His income is the primary source for our family.  I manage it well and stretch it to the max each month.  I have not worked out of the home since our sons were born  23+ years ago.   My home businesses provide the "extras" for our family.    Thank you, Lord.

As you may know, we own a rental house in Orlando.  It was my husband's childhood home which we renovated in 2004.   There is no mortgage  on it so that is provision #1 and we have been so blessed in that way.  I wanted to sell it a few years ago for maximum profits but my husband wanted to keep it.  [We go back and forth over this issue ever year.]  It took a year to clean it out  and renovate and has been leased ever since by excellent tenants each time.

Even though there is no mortgage we have come to depend on the rental income as a buffer for maintenance expenses here and there, property taxes for it as well as unforeseen expenses--3 hurricanes, 2 tropical storms (with fallen trees during each), and car repairs to name a few.    The extra income also allows me to work  part-time at  home  rather than working outside the home.  It has also kept us out of consumer debt except for our home mortgage which is always a blessing in my estimation.  It seems that my husband's decision was a wise one.  

When the most recent tenants informed us that they were moving out at the first of October we were shocked and I was a bit dismayed.  I knew it would be tight without the rental income for the rest of this year so I was cutting WAY back on all expenses, which I generally do anyway as a rule.   There was some damage and more $$ spent on repairs.   Fear started creeping in on me...my biggest one being leaving my kids at home to go back to work.

My husband trusts me completely with our finances and I handle it all--paying bills, saving, giving...  When it would come time to pay our bills which I do every Wednesday or Thursday (you know how I do my accrual method for large bills), I would grimace, but faithfully write our church tithe check each week.  As I would write it, I could almost hear the Evil One say  this will cover the gap that you need if you just hold it back and don't give this week. You'll have enough if you hold on to it for the rest of the month.   I would literally have to just write the check, put it in our usual place for giving and get back to other things.  After two weeks of this, I got  better about it but was still anxious at times.    I went ahead and wrote our additional giving to missionaries and charitable organizations which I do at the end of each month, thinking OK, Lord, I trust you to provide for us.   I won't be afraid.

Long story short, we spent four weeks getting the house ready to re-rent and the afternoon after the final detailed cleaning, we put the For Rent sign up.  Before we even got home our son called and said someone had already called about the house.  We had 10 callers within two days and it was rented that second day to a man who was leasing it for his mother.  PLUS we had three people contact us that they were interested in buying it...maybe next year.

For me, this was another lesson in God providing for us miraculously as well as showing me that even things don't look like they have a purpose or that things might not go as I planned, He has a much better plan--not the least of which is to teach me to trust Him more.   Like a good Father, He comforted my fears as well.  It was also a lesson in faithfulness--God is always faithful and wants us to be like Him in that way, too.   

When Bob and I were on our honeymoon, some 25 years ago, a wise man who owned one of the B & B's where we stayed told us a long story about tithing  throughout his marriage and encouraged us to always do so, even when it hurts.  Not the thing you usually hear from someone during your honeymoon, is it?  Well, we took it to heart and just hearing it from him, in such an odd place and time in our lives, we have always done so--10% off the gross income as well as an additional amount each month to a different ministry.   Now, it's as much a part of life as anything else could be.  If it is not a part of yours, step out in faith and watch and see what God will do.    We have always had enough...

Giving Thanks 2010 Revisiting 2009 and Continuing / Thanksgiving

My Thanksgiving list continues.  A review of my 2009 Blog post.

2. I am thankful to be married to a man of integrity who is faithful and loves God and our family with all his heart.

                                                1987                                              2010

This year marked our 23rd anniversary.  Actually, we have known each other for 28 years.  In an age where infidelity and lack of trust are so commonplace, this is an area that I have never had to be concerned with related to my husband.  This has always been an important thing to him from the time we were married.  I remember early on when he was having lunch alone and a woman friend of mine saw him sitting by himself and plopped herself down at the same table. He was so nervous about it that he called me as soon as he got back to his office (no cell phones at that time, believe it or not) to tell me what had happened.  It was not a big deal to me since I trusted him, but oh, so important to him that he not give the appearance of evil if anyone would have seen him with another woman and heaven forbid that they should call and tell me.     

I have always felt 100% secure in our relationship, even when we were dating seriously.  Growing up, my parents and extended family had a history of marriage, divorce, remarriage, adultery, etc., etc.   My parents divorced after 25 years of marriage but had a rocky marriage for many, many years.  Perhaps that is why I waited so long to be married. (I was 31 years old.) A dear young man who loved me very much talked about us being married and I was so unnerved by it that I broke up with him soon after. Fear had the upper hand in my younger years.  In my late 20s I wondered if I would ever marry but was actually, quite content remaining single.   I'm glad that the  Lord calmed my fears in meeting and being friends with my husband for four years before we were married and that our relationship remained pure all those years.  By God's grace, our children have never had to experience the heartbreak of their parents' separation and/or divorce and are secure in knowing that my husband and I have only been married once, and that, to each other.  I am thankful that they have watched us remain together "for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health..." 

Mark 10:7-9 

“FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER, 

AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH; 

so they are no longer two, but one flesh.   

What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”

Giving Thanks 2010 Revisiting 2009 and Continuing / Thanksgiving

With two birthdays, fun family outings, relatives coming this week, etc. I almost forgot about doing my  Thanksgiving list.  Thanks, Christen, for the reminder.  :)

Last year for each day in November, I posted something to be thankful for on this blog.  I'll keep the same list this year and add to it  as well.   Just as in December this year, there are 25 days before the holiday.  Can you think of something to be thankful for today?

As a family, maybe at dinnertime, keep a running list of what you are each thankful for.  It helps you take the focus off of yourselves and put it on  the Lord and His goodness to you.  A grateful heart is a blessing to everyone.

2009 Blog Post

1. Today I am thankful to be able to worship freely and openly without fear of persecution in our country.

Our church just had its first Reformation Day Remembrance last night, so this is fresh in my mind.  The determination and bravery of Martin Luther to hammer his famous 95 Theses to the door of Castle Church in Germany at great cost to himself is amazing to think about, even now, several hundred years later.   One particular verse in the Bible, Habakkuk 2:4b, penetrated his heart and motivated him to stand up for Truth.  May we all be like him in the areas of our lives where Scripture speaks. 

As we celebrate Thanksgiving later this month, let's also remember the Pilgrims who left Europe in order to be able to worship freely as well.  An excellent resource for teaching your children about this is Barbara Rainey's book Thanksgiving: A Time to Remember.  I read it to our children when they were young.