Thanksgiving, 2007

It was our year to have the kids on Thanksgiving Day. Like many kids in this genteration, they are all about entertainment, - sitting around the dinner table at home, talking, and/or playing games with the family afterwards isn't really their scene. They have to go somewhere... so, we made the decision to take advantage of "Veterans get in free" at Knott's Berry Farm. Ron and I got free admission, then it was only $12.99 for each kid - for a day at the theme park, that's a great deal. Of course that didn't inlcude the price of lunch - but that's another story. (We would have spent that much on food at the grocery store anyway).

Initially, I was fine with the plan. But then Wednesday night we watched this TV show on the history of Thanksgiving - about the whole family thing, taking time out of busy schedules to reflect on the blessings we have ... and I started feeling guilty that we weren't having a 'traditional' Thanksgiving. But as my daughter-in-law pointed out when I talked to her, I shouldn't feel guilty about not having a Thanksgiving they don't want anyway.

We enjoyed lunch at Marie Callender's and the afternoon at Knott's was fun. The kids took off to ride the roller coasters and other thrill rides...Ron and I walked through shops, and stuck to the rides rated 1 or 2 on the thrill meter. You know, the Merry-Go-Round, the Stage Coach, the Train, Bumper Cars ... I enjoyed the time with him without the distraction of work, TV, or the computer, he enjoyed just hanging out with the family, and the kids enjoyed doing their thrill-a-minute thing... In reality, we have 'thanksgiving' every night. We have dinner together around the table, we hold hands while someone gives thanks for the food, and we talk about the good things that happened in our day. So, maybe it wasn't a 'traditional' thanksgiving - but maybe the memories we create around the dinner table every night, will mean more in the end - than trying to do it all just once a year. And in the big picture, I guess that's what's really important - family and memories, and tradition.

Did You Notice?...

Last Sunday during our church assembly, Jeff, our youth minister, gave a couple of testimonies pertinent to our theme of the day - which happened to be "When Jesus Comes Into Your Life." One of the testimonies (or commentary) Jeff gave was in response to the question, 'How would Jesus react to strangers?' The gospels are filled with how Jesus would (and did) react to strangers, those who were sick, hurting, mourning, outcasts of society, sinners ... you know - people like us. How did Jesus react? He simply noticed...Anyway, Jeff related a story about he and his wife going to the local theater, already 'made up' for a Halloween party later in the evening. All painted up in their best zombie style - they were amazed at how little reaction they received from the other people at the theater - people all around, standing in the same ticket line, the same line to get popcorn, and a 'zombie' in line with them went unnoticed. We all chuckled at how 'odd' that seemed, at the same time realizing we've been there. Either as the 'unnoticed' person or the person 'not noticing.' It was food for thought... then after church Ron, the kids, and I went out to lunch. At the end of our meal, while the waitress was clearing our dirty dishes, Ron followed his normal habit of starting up a conversation. Not just the usual, Hi, how ya doin?... but 'Are you in school?".... "Where?"..."Do you play sports?" ... "Have you ever been to (fill in the blank)." While my stepdaughter, Sarah, and I were beginning to feel uncomfortable about his 'nosey-ness,' it dawned on me ... He notices! He always notices - especially the un-noticeable. And, I was no longer embarassed by his nosey-ness - I was embarassed by my lack of nosey-ness. (Although I do have to admit since I've been dating and now married to Ron, my interest/awareness level in others around me has gone way up. It's a new habit...). Who knows how many times Ron has been the only one to notice someone, or to ask the person cleaning up something about themselves. My heart grew even more in love with him that day. Sure, you can tell some people are uncomfortable - but at the same time, they are happy to be noticed, to no longer be 'invisible' ... I think that's what Jesus did, too. He noticed...