Thanksgiving Day

Nitin and Geetika were here visiting this week from New Delhi, India, their first time in the U.S.  It was really interesting, as their "tour guide", looking at my familiar surroundings through the eyes of a newcomer.  They experienced things like "Mexican" food (Moe's, actually), mobile homes, hay bales and maple trees, and that funny car we call a pick-up truck.

We had a high-octane week, filled with training, company lunches and dinners (an absolute highlight being dinner around the purely delightful and always entertaining table of Larry and Linda - I love those two, pure and simple), and as much work as we could squeeze in.  The week's crowning moment definitely had to be Thursday, though - an authentic, American country Thanksgiving.  My family doesn't do the whole turkey dinner thing on turkey day, so I originally thought of taking our guests to Jacksonville or Gainesville so they could at least taste a traditional Thanksgiving day feast.  Suzanne, my co-worker and a good friend, had plans to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner with her sister and family at her sister's farm in the country; they were incredibly gracious and invited the three of us - Nitin, Geetika, and myself, to join them.

This was really fun on several levels - first, of course, being the chance to spend my morning knocking around the kitchen.  Seriously, want to make me really, really happy?  Give me a legitimate excuse to bake something.

The fruits of the morning's labors...

I'd met Suzanne's sister Liz once before in passing, but never had a chance to spend time with her or meet the rest of her family, so this opportunity to enjoy a Thanksgiving feast around her table really meant a lot to me.  What a great bunch of people, too - so full of warmth and geniality, with a good dose of humor thrown in, for good measure.  Ms. Rogers and Ms. Gail, the family matriarchs, have that dash of spice that makes Southern ladies so great - charming and gracious, and yet these mamas don't take nothing off of nobody!  I fell in love, too, with Liz's daughters - outgoing, friendly, and very well-mannered, they do their parents proud.  

We gathered in the kitchen around a long, long table.  Really, it was several tables, joined together.  I don't know why, but I love these kinds of tables the very best.  They just exude plenty - it's like they shout, "we have so very much, both food and family, that one table simply cannot contain it".  Fills me with warmth, every time.  The counters groaned with food - turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potato casserole, broccoli casserole, macaroni and cheese (the really good, homemade, ooey-gooey kind), cranberries (two kinds), and on and on and on.  Then, after we attempted (with limited success) to make a dent in all of that, came the pies - pumpkin, peanut butter, apple, pecan, coconut custard...  One of those meals where, once you've finished eating, you wish you could reset and start all over again.  Fortunately, Thanksgiving comes but once a year, or we'd all be the size of small trucks!

See what I mean?  Pure, glorious bounty!

After lunch, the girls took us outside, and Nitin and Geetika, city-dwellers both, got to experience a taste of life in the country!  Four-wheeling...horseback-riding...good times!  

This four-wheeler stuff!  Fortunately, we had an expert to show us the ropes...

This country life is good, no?

Bailey and Suzie, off to tour the farm...

Our buddy, Trey

Needless to say, our guests got a good dose of America - mountains of great food, fresh air, and good, clean fun.  Nitin and Geetika needed to get over to Jacksonville at a decent time, so the three of us took our leave early (pre-board games and soccer).

You know, at the end of the day, I was really proud.  Like I said, when you see yourself and your culture through the eyes of a stranger, it becomes an opportunity to step back and take a more careful, thoughtful look.  I liked what I saw - real American hospitality, deeper and more genuine because it was offered by hearts who love our Lord.

So, yes, I find myself very thankful for my home (even if I do hate Walmart), replete as it is with  lots of fresh air and green things.  Even more so, I am thankful for my families and my friends, old and new, in all of their various shapes and sizes and ages and configurations.  Most of all, I am thankful for my savior, Jesus Christ, my beautiful Redeemer.  At the end of the day, it is these things that make drawing breath such a wonderful, worthwhile endeavor.