Familiarity

Happy Thanksgiving! I'm thankful this day for the freedoms that we enjoy in this country, for being able to love the Lord and worship as I choose.

I'm thankful for my husband and beautiful children. I'm thankful for my parents who live just 5 doors up from us and for my sisters, brother, and their families. I'm thankful for my home - not only a roof over my head, but a cozy, happy place that more than meets our needs. I'm thankful for the quality of life that we're able to have because my husband has a good job. I'm thankful for my neighbors and friends, my church, that there are laws in this country to protect me and my family, and I'm thankful for all those who sacrifice so that we might have this protection - soldiers, fire personnel, policemen, as well as pastors, crossing guards, and librarians.

Basically, I'm thankful. I love life, I love the Lord, and I love His Church.

Last year at this time, we were in England. The children and I left the Saturday before Thanksgiving and landed on Sunday morning. A driving service picked us up, attempted to load our luggage, me and the children, then took us to our hotel, which we came to love, although the first day wasn't the best. By Thursday, the kids and I felt like we had England by the tail. We had taken buses and trains, walked for miles, been to Church, eaten English foods, including going to a Pub, been blown over by the wind, and trudged through the rain to do whatever we wanted to do, because it always rained.

I didn't miss Thanksgiving. Being in England was an adventure! We called home and talked to the family, but we didn't yet miss the familiar things. Thanksgiving was just another day in Warrington. The thing that I really DID miss was having Don home. He had to work all day, which seemed wrong to me. Most of the Americans who worked in his office had flown home for the weekend. There were only 4 left, of which Don was one. One of his co-workers made some phone calls and found a restaurant that served what we would consider a traditional Thanksgiving meal - turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes . . . She made reservations for us and the other 3 Åmericans left behind. The children and I took a train, then a bus to arrive at the Toby's Carvery where we were to meet Don and his friends. They arrived by taxi and we had a wonderful meal. It was the first time I met Jeannie, Peggy, and Richard whom we later became very close to.

It was late, but it did feel like Thanksgiving, although everything was very different. The stuffing was served in hard balls. The turkey had mint sauce with it. There was nothing to drink that seemed American to us. But it was a close rendition.

I've really missed England since returning home. But, over the last 2 weeks, I've begun to be thankful for being home. As England recedes into the distance of my memory, I appreciate more the goodness and fullness of the life I have here. While it was an experience I will never regret and am very glad we had, I'm equally glad to be home this year and enjoying "life as we know it".

Things here are easier. Perhaps because there's a rhythm to our life here that we never quite found in England. Or perhaps we're just too American. In any case, we're in Georgia this Thanksgiving and I'm happy we are.

Hope each of you have a day filled with a depth of happiness that outlives even your best memories.

God bless!