Love: Thanksgiving

When I was in the eighth grade, my English teacher had us write a story about Thanksgiving that had to include two of our family recipes. The idea was that we were to use the details from the recipes to describe making our turkey dinner. Having still a limited amount of experience in the Kitchen, this meant I had to sit down with my mom and go over her recipes.

First we picked out two: Butternut Squash and Creamed Onions. Then, my mom went over how to chopped up the squash to cook it down, and how to make a roux out of flour and butter for the onions. I remember becoming hungry just listening to her describe the steps and the accompanying aromas. Out of all of our holidays, Thanksgiving certainly has the best food.

Maybe it is the slow roasting of the turkey, the mashed potatoes and gravy, or our moms’ signature dishes that make Thanksgiving memorable. But it’s not just the food that makes it special. I love Thanksgiving because it is so much more than just food.

In a country where we have gotten increasingly used to living a fast paced, squeeze-it-all-in kind of life—Thanksgiving offers us a moment to slow down and remember all that we have. Yes, a big part of the holiday is eating too much food, sleeping off our turkey comas in the afternoon, and later, waking up to pie and ice cream. But we also get to be with family or friends we don’t see often. We get to hit pause on our lives and remember what really matters to us.

Today is Turkey Day. In between all the rushing you may do—to drive to where you’re going or to get food on the table—I invite you to take a moment. Maybe this morning, with a cup of coffee or hot apple cider in hand, find a seat. Slow down. Make a short list in your head of what you are thankful for and the people you love. Lay down the negative. Lay down anxiety. And instead, say a prayer of gratitude.

Philippians 4:6-7, tells us that when we do this—when we slow down and pray our requests and our gratitude—the peace of God fills our hearts and minds.