Things I Learned Today.................
Well, I can't say for sure I learned a lot but I certainly observed things today. And why not, it's Thanksgiving. It is a day that we are supposed to consider what we are thankful for. I always have the standard list. But throughout the day I discovered that my list may be a bit under nourished.
Due to work and health we were limited in what we could do. We decided to keep it simple. Sure that would be the adult plan, but not the one the entire team supported. So very early, before the labor of the day began a request for breakfast was made. Reasonable, but not one of my delicious home cooked meals but a meal out. OK, sure why not. We aren't cooking a meal, we have to eat and I need coffee. So Pop gets the chariot fired up and off we go to Village Inn. This has all the appearance of a good idea, until we sit down. Apparently none of the scheduled staff showed up for work. We heard all about it. We were served coffee and ordered so it seemed to be going to work out until the meal arrived, cold, wrong and missing pieces. We requested the repairs but after a substantial amount of time one of us did not get a full course and this was most disappointing. When we described the error of their ways the manager was like "its a boiled egg, how hard is it" and 'cold? Oh yeah I hate that"! We got our partial meals at a discount. Sigh, well we had SOME food and we could eat more at home if needed.
So back home we go. Pop leaves to take care of his business and I think, holiday movies, coffee and rest. After all I can't turn my head, nod my head, bend my head. My brace is on like a boa making the kill. I am going to sit. Sure. About an hour into A Christmas Story the social director comes out and asks what time is the feast going to be served? What feast, I say. 'Don't be silly, its Thanksgiving Day! We need to have a feast!' Sure, why not. I can't bend over, lift, carry anything. I can only drop and I am very proficient at that. So I assure him we will have a meal but HE will need to be the hands so to speak.
I walk to the kitchen and yes, I am already done. But doe eyes looks at me and we are back on target. I had some turkey 'pieces' so I googled a rub and we put them in the crock pot. Done! Sure. But what about potatoes, gravy, vegetables. I can ponder about those. OK. I rested a bit but then he inquires about the rest of the meal!! So I googled and we created the candied yams and dumped the frozen mixed veggies into a pot. Good news. But we need special dessert he says. Sure, why not. OK there are bananas and pudding, so I googled a cream pie. A quick fix with instant pudding so we put it in the fridge to chill. Which I think we should do while we are waiting, right? Sure.
So now it is late and the birds start circling the kitchen so I decide I might as well get all the parts finished and we can be prepared for the button to pop up on the bird. It is supposed to do that right? Sure. Though we apparently are going to be tortured by the turkey timer as no matter how many times we looked, no go! I finally resort to a kitchen thermometer. We are close enough to avoid an ER visit, we are going to eat. Cut the bird, sure, by a woman who can't look or a kid who can't see. Choices choices. In walks pop. Timing is everything! He slices the bird and the boys set the table. Because we did not have a clean dish to use suddenly plates I have never seen were pulled out of a cupboard and plunked on the table. Mismatched everything, my mother would have fainted straight away. But Cody did it, and he was so pleased with himself. We all had everything we need.
So we sit down and before we can eat he wants to know what we are thankful for. We have the usual retort, of family. He thinks that is nice but he says he is also thankful for his brothers (best friends) and his cousin. That's nice. And we finish the meal. He helps mom clean up to the last plate. No complaints. And I start to think I am thankful for a son who doesn't complain, who helps without being asked, who respects the reason for the celebration. I am thankful for a husband who prays, does what he is needed or asked to do, who has a heart for the mission of his work. I am thankful that we had food to throw into a pot, time together cooking, that I can google, that I have this family.
And as the evening rolled on and I observed Face Book and Instagram I noted a million others who shared they were grateful for family and friends. But it was one post shared from Mark Shriver about mercy. What is mercy, not just what it is as a gift but how to live it. We often look at this time of year as a time to throw extra money or donations at those in need. But living mercy is connecting with the people we meet first, the rest is really a bonus. Making eye contact, asking their names, learning about the individual no matter what they look like or how they act. Larry Fitzgerald went this afternoon and asked if he could just hang out with the folks at SVDP. He sat and played checkers, he talked to them, shared stories, learned about their lives. The most important gift is us. That is what Cody was really most excited about today, not the food, though he loved it, but the time spent in the kitchen and around the table. The smile on his face at the table was pure contentment. That is the look we should see when we live and share mercy.
So the evening finished with a happy family. As Cody said his bedtime prayers, the first thing he did was thank God that He helped us not lose our mind at breakfast. Then he continued to thank Him for our health, home, friends, family and all the good things He does for us. Hoping you had a great day too. My final prayer is that you and I will learn to live mercy in the year to come.
Due to work and health we were limited in what we could do. We decided to keep it simple. Sure that would be the adult plan, but not the one the entire team supported. So very early, before the labor of the day began a request for breakfast was made. Reasonable, but not one of my delicious home cooked meals but a meal out. OK, sure why not. We aren't cooking a meal, we have to eat and I need coffee. So Pop gets the chariot fired up and off we go to Village Inn. This has all the appearance of a good idea, until we sit down. Apparently none of the scheduled staff showed up for work. We heard all about it. We were served coffee and ordered so it seemed to be going to work out until the meal arrived, cold, wrong and missing pieces. We requested the repairs but after a substantial amount of time one of us did not get a full course and this was most disappointing. When we described the error of their ways the manager was like "its a boiled egg, how hard is it" and 'cold? Oh yeah I hate that"! We got our partial meals at a discount. Sigh, well we had SOME food and we could eat more at home if needed.
So back home we go. Pop leaves to take care of his business and I think, holiday movies, coffee and rest. After all I can't turn my head, nod my head, bend my head. My brace is on like a boa making the kill. I am going to sit. Sure. About an hour into A Christmas Story the social director comes out and asks what time is the feast going to be served? What feast, I say. 'Don't be silly, its Thanksgiving Day! We need to have a feast!' Sure, why not. I can't bend over, lift, carry anything. I can only drop and I am very proficient at that. So I assure him we will have a meal but HE will need to be the hands so to speak.
I walk to the kitchen and yes, I am already done. But doe eyes looks at me and we are back on target. I had some turkey 'pieces' so I googled a rub and we put them in the crock pot. Done! Sure. But what about potatoes, gravy, vegetables. I can ponder about those. OK. I rested a bit but then he inquires about the rest of the meal!! So I googled and we created the candied yams and dumped the frozen mixed veggies into a pot. Good news. But we need special dessert he says. Sure, why not. OK there are bananas and pudding, so I googled a cream pie. A quick fix with instant pudding so we put it in the fridge to chill. Which I think we should do while we are waiting, right? Sure.
So now it is late and the birds start circling the kitchen so I decide I might as well get all the parts finished and we can be prepared for the button to pop up on the bird. It is supposed to do that right? Sure. Though we apparently are going to be tortured by the turkey timer as no matter how many times we looked, no go! I finally resort to a kitchen thermometer. We are close enough to avoid an ER visit, we are going to eat. Cut the bird, sure, by a woman who can't look or a kid who can't see. Choices choices. In walks pop. Timing is everything! He slices the bird and the boys set the table. Because we did not have a clean dish to use suddenly plates I have never seen were pulled out of a cupboard and plunked on the table. Mismatched everything, my mother would have fainted straight away. But Cody did it, and he was so pleased with himself. We all had everything we need.
So we sit down and before we can eat he wants to know what we are thankful for. We have the usual retort, of family. He thinks that is nice but he says he is also thankful for his brothers (best friends) and his cousin. That's nice. And we finish the meal. He helps mom clean up to the last plate. No complaints. And I start to think I am thankful for a son who doesn't complain, who helps without being asked, who respects the reason for the celebration. I am thankful for a husband who prays, does what he is needed or asked to do, who has a heart for the mission of his work. I am thankful that we had food to throw into a pot, time together cooking, that I can google, that I have this family.
And as the evening rolled on and I observed Face Book and Instagram I noted a million others who shared they were grateful for family and friends. But it was one post shared from Mark Shriver about mercy. What is mercy, not just what it is as a gift but how to live it. We often look at this time of year as a time to throw extra money or donations at those in need. But living mercy is connecting with the people we meet first, the rest is really a bonus. Making eye contact, asking their names, learning about the individual no matter what they look like or how they act. Larry Fitzgerald went this afternoon and asked if he could just hang out with the folks at SVDP. He sat and played checkers, he talked to them, shared stories, learned about their lives. The most important gift is us. That is what Cody was really most excited about today, not the food, though he loved it, but the time spent in the kitchen and around the table. The smile on his face at the table was pure contentment. That is the look we should see when we live and share mercy.
So the evening finished with a happy family. As Cody said his bedtime prayers, the first thing he did was thank God that He helped us not lose our mind at breakfast. Then he continued to thank Him for our health, home, friends, family and all the good things He does for us. Hoping you had a great day too. My final prayer is that you and I will learn to live mercy in the year to come.
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