As I looked around the table at the whole family gathered for our Thanksgiving dinner, I was reminded of what a wonderful life we live here in Nebraska. There is no one telling us where to go to church, how to raise our food, or why we have to wear a mask. Well, people have a habit of telling things like that, but nobody has authority to make our decisions for us.

It was just our immediate family this year, but the ten of us must surely have made enough noise for a big crowd. Our plates were full (probably over-full) with turkey, potatoes and gravy, stuffing, corn, rolls, and pumpkin pie. But better even than the food was the conversation, the laughing, and the stories flying back and forth. I mean, seriously. If our happiness depended on my chocolate bears coming out of their mold perfectly, we would have been devastated. They were mush.

We decided this thanksgiving that there would be no talk of covid, government, or business at the table (thank goodness). Instead, we kids had the fun of asking Mom and Dad what their first thanksgiving together was like. Neither could remember, but the question prompted Dad to tell of the time when his grandma and his aunt both thought the other was bringing the turkey. They ate pizza that year.

As the meal went on, Caleb brought up the incident that had happened a couple days before as we were butchering the fifteen turkeys we raised this year.

“I was getting a turkey from the trailer,” he said, “when one escaped and took off down the driveway.”

Mom, Dad, and Aiden (and Caleb when he secured the door so no more would escape) all took off after the turkey. It was an heirloom turkey, raised on pasture, light and fast. Dad joked later that we had fast food for Thanksgiving dinner.

The turkey ran in a few circles, hiding in bushes, but Dad and Caleb kept just almost catching him.

Then the turkey tried something smart.

“He ran across the road into all those trees.” Mom laughed, “I saw Grandma coming down the road, but I thought she was stopping so I ran across the road after the turkey.”

Right after Mom came Dad. And although Grandma did stop, she didn’t see the turkey. Logical conclusion? She thought Dad was chasing Mom.

Even though the turkey was white, in the big line of trees with heavy undergrowth, they lost him a couple times. And every time he was found, someone would try to jump on him and pin him down. Evidently that doesn’t work with a wild turkey in an open space. So finally Caleb got out his .22 and shot the turkey. That took care of him. And we’ll always remember the Thanksgiving we had to chase the turkey.

I was tickled, as always, by the compliments that follow such a meal. In today’s society, often compliments go like this:

            “Your turkey is so tender!”

            Followed with:

“Thank you! I got it at Hy-Vee. They have the best birds.”

            Whereas, at our table, if you dare to let a compliment slip (and it is encouraged, don’t get me wrong), you’ll probably get this response:

            “Oh, thank you, but I just cooked it. Actually, Aiden is the one who fed the turkeys and Cory kept them on fresh grass. Oh, and the potatoes – everyone helped with those. We all had our own row this year and everyone kept it weeded and kept the bugs out of them. Everyone helped dig them. Yes, we had to buy the spices for stuffing – no, wait, actually some of them are herbs from the garden. Oh! And the pumpkin for the pies – those were raised by Caleb. With a little help.”

            And all that was probably said by Mom. Whenever we try to compliment her, she passes the praise on to someone else.

            In this busy season, it’s easy to forget about giving thanks, even though the day is specifically called Thanksgiving! May you be reminded of what these holidays are all about, and not lose sight of what is important!

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18  Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

            Kailey