The clock has ticked to the great day of thankfulness…I, like many others have big plans, sleepy eyes and thoughts of our families enjoying a spectacular meal and maybe a football game. The day will be chock full of turkey and dressing, which is my particular favorite, as well as pumpkin pie, but during this time of plenty my memories of childhood dinners and boy cousins tackling each other in the front yard are what give me joy. These memories are the ones that help create new ones with my own kids, new memories that they will live on through their kids. Memories also can be sad, the last time my Mom knew me, at my house for Thanksgiving, the last time we went to my Aunt Nancy’s house for the day, my cousins from far away show up and I just can’t get enough hugs and talking about the old days. Memories are good, they are necessary. Without memories we lose the heart and soul of our lives, it’s how we maneuver this life, a guide to succeed in not going down wrong roads.

Thankfulness is a learned response, my Moms secret recipe chocolate pie made me thankful, her chicken and dumplings made me thankful, really anything she cooked with the exception of Salmon patties made me thankful! So now since all I have of her are memories, they are evermore sweeter than before. Being thankful for our lives and the people who have shaped us is the first step in being grateful and being grateful is our path to acknowledge that there is a bigger thing going on. Realizing that it’s not just all about us and in my heart it’s all about Him, the one who remembered me enough to snag me from the darkness of this world.

To be thankful is easy.. all I have to do is think back and remember the one who died for me…then I can remember my mom and my daddy; my brother and two sisters and my sweet preacherman husband and our four kids plus one little gidget girl that reminds me to give thanks every minute not just today!

Today is a good day, I’m already sorry for all I will eat but not that sorry to skip it. It is my favorite meal good grief! Thank you Pilgrims and Native Americans for having that dinner, you paved the way. That was a good thing…I am thankful to be an American.