A Scrapbook Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving was certainly one for the scrapbooks. We spent it in Pigeon Forge with our family, my husband’s parents and his grandfather at their timeshare. We had such a great time just hanging out together, playing games, eating, and watching hour after hour of the “Little People Big World” marathon on TLC.

Our entire week was illustrated with the intense beauty of the mountains. The leaves set fire to the countryside with their vibrant oranges, reds and yellows, and by Friday morning there was even snow on the peaks of the mountains. It rained quite a bit, but in between raindrops we left the deck door open and listened to the whistle and chug of a real steam engine train winding its way through the valley. At times it felt like something out of a movie.

On Thursday – the big day itself – we managed to craft an entire impromptu Thanksgiving meal for 7 people, while armed only with three pots, two pans, a three-burner stove and 20 minutes of inspiration from Rachel Ray’s “Thanksgiving in 60” special. We had planned to go to Cracker Barrel, but changed our minds when we discovered we’d have to be there at 9:30 in the morning and wait in line for 2 hours. But thanks to Rachel and pre-marinated turkey tenderloins, we all had our fill for less than eating out, and we even met the challenge of not having a ton of leftovers to have to throw out when we left the next day.

The men watched football, the women played games and the kids rode pillows down the stairs. It really was a great day, and it reminded me that I have a lot to be thankful for right here in my own family. It’s a good feeling to realize that the Lord is so good to us all the time – not just one day out of the year.

Sure, the mountains were beautiful and the giant whirlpool tub in our bathroom was great, but His greatest blessings are in the things we get to wake up to each day, no matter where we sleep. It may be hard to see sometimes, but our families are God’s gift to us while we are on this earth and away from our true home. He uses them to love us, grow us, embrace us and teach us every day.

I know that’s a hard thing for some of us to think about because our families are far from the Cleavers of yesteryear, but His word tells us that He uses all things (even difficult families) to His good in our lives (Romans 8:28). If you don’t feel blessed by the family you’re in, take heart in knowing that He is still using them as a gift in your life to mold you into the child He intends you to be. We can be thankful, even for the things we can’t understand yet.

I hope you had a great holiday too, and that you were able to take time out – even just a moment – to realize some of the ways He’s good to you all the time.