Thanksgiving Disasters-by Heidi McLaughlin
Posted: October 8, 2024
My favourite festivity of the year is, hands down, Thanksgiving. It surpasses Christmas and birthdays. I love it for many reasons. The changing of colours in the landscape into yellow, orange and red. The smell and variety of harvest fruits and vegetables. Cooler days which invite perfect days for hiking and golfing. A heart filled with thanksgiving and the best part…we don’t have to expend energy to buy unnecessary gifts.
Little bits of fall decorating in my home help to set the ambiance and getting the house ready for a sumptuous Thanksgiving dinner. And we want it to be perfect don’t we? Sadly I’ve had many disappointments and disasters. Let me take you back to the worst one in 2018.
The worst one was in 2018.
The Thanksgiving table was beautifully decorated with my best linen tablecloth, candles, leaves, dried wheat and all my best china and crystal glasses. Because it was a gorgeous day we sat on my deck enjoying appetizers and wonderful conversation when my eye caught something strange inside the house…flames. One of the candles caught some dried wheat and the tablecloth burst into flames. Without anyone else noticing, I casually slipped into the house and put out the fire. Covered the burnt tablecloth with more leaves and décor.
During dinner someone knocked over their drink and spilled red juice all over the table. While this was happening another guest became curious about the burnt tablecloth, reached across the table and knocked over one of my beautiful crystal goblets.
What a mess.
It became a comedy of errors and a legendary Thanksgiving disaster. We couldn’t stop laughing and chortling. At the end of that disillusioned meal I served the most magnificent desert and we silenced our souls to take time to be thankful. That is where the Thanksgiving magic began.
With thanksgiving.
Life is full of disappointments and disasters, but the course of our life is determined by how we perceive them and what we do with them. We can’t always laugh about them because some of them aren’t funny. Nevertheless thanksgiving always changes our perspective, our thoughts and even our health. Since starting my Gratitude Journal eleven years ago I’ve learned the power of thanksgiving, how it has changes the way I perceive people, disappointments and even disasters. That’s another reason why I love the Thanksgiving season. A time to reflect and be thankful for even the small and simple things in life.
That’s where joy resides.
Joy is a fruit of the Spirit and lives inside of us but often gets buried under the rubble of disappointments, regrets and sorrow. It is my hope and prayer that as you celebrate Thanksgiving you will take ample time to STOP, reflect and thank our wonderful Lord and Saviour for the abundant life He has given us.
