SO- I am hosting my first Thanksgiving this year, and I am beyond excited. If I'm being perfectly honest, I usually see Thanksgiving simply as a segway to Christmas... but this year I see it a little differently because, well, I'm planning it. I can't believe that I am not going to be with my family, but it's kind of cool that I get to open my home to people here in Massachusetts and celebrate. We are having all the Thanksgiving things- turkey, sweet potatoes, stuffing, pie, corn, green beans- all pot luck style. Who knows if it will all be any good, but hey, we are all making our best effort and each bringing something to the table (literally and figuratively). I need to work on my invite delivery though because I still had to tell some people via Facebook today what exactly is going on, but I'll learn in time, right? Hopefully this isn't my last hosting experience. Here are some of the recipes we are using this year and that I have used in the past! Click on the picture or go to my Pinterest board titled "Thanksgiving Traditions" (link to the right) and it will take you to the blogs I used if you need to incorporate these into your meal:
But anyway. I have a cool opportunity to do something so simple, and yet so scary for me with this hodgepodge group of people: pray for them and our Thanksgiving meal. I don't know why I care so much about what my friends think of me, but I do, and it makes me laugh a little to think of how intimidated I am to pray, something I do all the time, in front of them. It's not even like it's a secret that I am a Christian. But still, it's scary to open up my home, share my traditions, and be outward in a place where Christianity isn't something that people really are fond of at the moment. And yet, it's because I care about all them, I want to pray for them and our food because I feel blessed that they will be here and we can share all this stuff together. It's a simple gesture to glorify Christ in all that He has given us in all of our lives. Classic thing to say I know, but I mean it! If I didn't have people coming here, I would feel so sad tomorrow. If I didn't have these people here in Massachusetts, I would be sad too. I honestly would have probably gone home. But I do have them and I am so thankful to share, celebrate, and take a break from our studying.
Then of course, I think about the reason we celebrate Thanksgiving- to stop and take a minute about what you have to be thankful for. This year, I feel like as soon as I think about all of this, I am flooded with so many things that have happened over the past 365 days. I also know that there are many out there so confused and lost, and feel like they have nothing to be thankful for and that breaks my heart. Entering the holiday season only magnifies their losses or sadness over what "could be" or "once was" or whatever reason someone is suffering. Last year, selfishly I felt much more pitiful than thankful because my plan wasn't unfolding how I expected, I was still recovering from a major heart break, and I was honestly kind of a mess for really small reasons. I was being so selfish, not really caring about everything I did have and solely focusing on everything I wanted. This growing up thing is hard and I got lost in my own world. I had just as much to be thankful last year as I do this year, I couldn't see it. If any of you are out there in one of these dark seasons, just know that you are so not alone. That in these transition times of life, it's not easy to focus on or see all that you do have. All problems are relevant in the eyes of Christ, but sometimes He shows us how fortunate we actually are by giving us the opportunity to help someone else in their hard times too. Whether that is helping prepare a meal, volunteering, or whatever it is you can do to help make someone's holiday season a little brighter, I say that is a good way to start even if you are lacking in the holiday cheer department.
With that being said, my favorite Thanksgiving tradition combines the two things I love most into one way of bringing people together. Food and family. Our school sent out emails that we could put together Thanksgiving meal baskets for families with the Salvation Army. I figured why not take this opportunity? So our optometry class rallied together collection donations, and we all were able to kick off the Thanksgiving season right. My classmates were so generous and we were able to put together TWO huge baskets to help prepare a good Thanksgiving dinner for those in the city without the means to make a traditional Thanksgiving meal. I was so excited when the final product came together. For two families, I like to believe we made a difference this year. Here are the tubs... next year I need to make them a little cuter for presentation purposes.
I'll be updating more about my cooking adventures and actual dinner, but until then, this was a nice escape. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope it is full.
T. Hall
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