"Merry Monday and Happy New Week!" ~ copied

Yes, Virginia, Santa does get tired after he's made photos with hundreds of kids of all ages. I thought about saying something about the child obesity issue, but, I am a purveyor of joy, and that subject might be considered a downer. However, my aching bones might want to express their thoughts on the subject. Perhaps at a later time. Greetings. Yes. I am so very thankful to welcome everyone back to the scene of the sublime, where my keystrokes become words on the page. This particular episode comes to you on this back-to-work Monday, of Thanksgiving Week, November 27, 2017. We are so looking forward to our family gathering this week and I'm sure many are doing the same. We were blessed to have two of my sisters-in-law over last week for a brief visit from Louisiana. My wife's sister, Dorothy, and the widow of our dear Bro. Milton, Glenda, was able to be with us for a couple of days. Dorothy told me that two of her grandkids from college will be bringing friends with them to their Thanksgiving Day feast. One is a local college friend and the other is a student from a foreign country. I know what kind of celebration Dorothy will have in store, therefore, this foreigner is in for a great experience of traditional Americana culture along with the food to go with it. Those kids bringing those kids with them reminds us all that sharing was an essential part of that first Thanksgiving celebration. And, it also reflects the spirit of gratefulness to God for His bountiful provisions. Amen.

I'm not too old or jaded to remember how wonderful the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays were as a kid growing up. It's somewhat hard to explain, but, there was this feeling of anticipation and excitement that made us all anxious for the celebrations to start. Often, we had our far away kin who came in to be at the Thanksgiving feast. Everything we enjoyed was made from scratch. The smells coming out of Granny Mac's and my mom's kitchens was enough to get our taste buds stirred to a frenzy. There were always a nibble or sample here and there that kept us counting the minutes until the prayer was said. We were not wealthy in this world's goods but looking back I couldn't have imagined anyone basking in more extravagance of love, food, and fellowship. Special. It was that and so much more. I can see us all gathered around the table overflowed into the living room and den. Once everyone was settled and quiet, it was time for Paw Paw Mac to speak. He was a man of few words as he would say, "Okay Momma." That was Granny Mac's cue to pray one of her legendary prayers that brought heaven down to enjoy with us our time together. Sure. I'm certain my recollection is tainted by my aged worn nostalgia, but, here's what I have to say about that. If it is, so be it, and, I am so thankful to God that we still have a little of that same feeling as a characteristic of our time when we all gather together. Sentimental old fool? Thank you.

That photo in the previous paragraph was to celebrate mom's 90th birthday. Believe it or not, we had those kinds of huge gatherings often when I was a kid growing up. My Uncle Asa would come in from Florida for a scheduled family reunion. He would find a place in the large area beside the house and clear it for the barbecue. He would stretch hardware cloth on metal posts for the meat he would be cooking. We had fifty halves of chickens, plenty of sausages, and whatever else could be found to cook. Granny Mac would make her famous made-from-scratch barbecue sauce by the gallon. The fire would be burned separately and the fiery coals shoveled under the hardware cloth. Uncle Asa had a piece of maybe a broom handle with some rags all mushed up on the end and tied with wire so that it became the sop he used to baste the meat while it was roasting. (Yep, on an open fire.) The ladies busied themselves preparing all the side dishes. Different teams worked on churning by hand several containers of homemade ice cream. The kids did their part by sitting on top of the ice cream freezers. We also had ice cold watermelons bobbing around with blocks of ice in number three washtubs. I remember at times there would be outside guests. One, in particular, said he had never seen anything like what he witnessed at our gathering. He said he had never seen people eat like that. Yep. That's how we did it. He also said he had never enjoyed anything more. Me too. As a preteen, I could eat maybe 3 or 4 of those small halves of chicken. I did see one meme saying that this upcoming Thursday would not be a good day for their pants. I understand completely. Enjoy your memories. They are a blessing from God. Amen. ....More later.