Tuesday 4: The Thanksgiving Feast

 I'm sure we are all in the middle of our Thanksgiving preparations in one way or another...if you are hosting the dinner, then you are probably cleaning your house and thawing the turkey...and starting the baking of pies or other desserts.  If you are traveling elsewhere, you are probably getting things ready to take with you...whatever the situation in your life right now, let us all take time to pause and give Thanks in all things...the good, the bad, and the sometimes ugly. God is with us no matter what...and that is something to always remember and give Him thanks.

Here are this weeks Tuesday 4 questions and answers. Maybe you can join in?

The Thanksgiving Feast

Welcome, welcome to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 .

Let's talk about the Thanksgiving Feast.

1. Do you celebrate with family, friends or by yourself?

We normally celebrate with our immediate family, some extended family, and oftentimes with friends gathered together with us.  This year it will be exactly that...our immediate family who live here/nearby, our extended family: my sister and her hubby and their daughter and hubby and I still don't know if their son will come or not...we shall see when they get here...and also one of our special friends here locally will join us.  If we didn't have any family nearby we would most likely invite others to join us who also don't have any family nearby. That's always been our tradition...if our house was bigger, we'd fill it up.

These pictures are from  a couple of years ago...It will be pretty similar to this again this year...maybe a couple of different ones or some who aren't coming...but close...

2. Do you watch the Thanksgiving Day parade from Macy's in New York City? The appearance of Santa at the end signals the start of the Christmas season. What does the day hold for you?

Oftentimes the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade is on the TV, but I am usually too busy in the kitchen to actually sit down and watch it. However I love to hear it in the background. The day holds for me a lot of cooking and work, but also a lot of joy in visiting with our guests and taking time to give thanks to God together for the blessings He has bestowed upon us.  At the end of the day I sit down and have a last piece of pie and a cup of tea and just relax and reflect on the joys of the day. I hate to see everyone go home. It's never enough time to really visit because there is so much work to do...but we always try to take time out after dinner to take a walk or walk around the yard if the weather is pleasant, or just find a somewhat quiet corner to sit down and talk. The guys are usually watching football and the ladies are on their own to visit. I just wish the day could be longer.  Those who travel have to leave before dark, which comes much too early.

Last year's Macy's parade. Somehow I managed to watch a little of it!

3. What foods are the hit of Thanksgiving Day for you?

Everything is good to me...but I enjoy the sweet potato casserole, the dressing and gravy, and whatever other side dishes people bring to compliment the meal. I like the turkey okay, but I could be just as happy if I didn't get any of it and just ate everything else! LOL.  I think this is a picture of my plate last year:

4. We say grace before and after meals. Is grace a part of your Thanksgiving meal?

Most definitely. We usually all gather in a big circle and join hands and pray before we begin. Then after everyone is seated and while the food is being passed around, we take turns sharing something that we are thankful for in particular. Everyone is given an opportunity to speak if they wish, but they don't have to.

Whatever your Thanksgiving traditions, I pray that the day is meaningful and filled with love for you whether with family, friends or alone. May God shine his blessing love down on you and yours and make us all truly thankful this year.  Please go visit our other friends at the Tuesday 4 link up HERE

Now, back to the present day:  Thank you all for your kind words of encouragement on my last post.   Some of you have asked how the "Sip and Shop" at Dixie Cottage went, and I can tell you it was a very busy and lovely day!  There were many many visitors and lots of things were sold! We also held a drawing for three different gift baskets, and the winners were notified today to come and pick up their basket this week:

I wish I had thought to take some pictures throughout the day, but I was so busy at the cash register that I didn't have time to think about it. I was happy to see some of my special friends show up, and several from our church as well. It was a very happy day all day long!

We sold a lot of tree ornaments like these:

And mostly a lot of other Christmas decor items.  And I did make one purchase myself...

The vendor who brought in these special items last month was disappointed that they hadn't sold, so she marked the price down to half price...and said if anyone really showed interest and wanted them, to just sell them for $10.00.  Well, I told her if that was the case they were probably going to be going home with me as I've had my eye on them ever since they arrived but of course I wanted to give everyone else a chance to buy them first...but since she was so anxious to have them sold...well...who could resist?

Not me! And so, since no one else seemed to be interested...

They went home with me and you can see they made friends right away with a certain young lady a.k.a. 

Lily Grace: (and her dog Bailey).

We haven't named them yet...I guess we need to work on that and I will let you know. And certainly if you have any suggestions I'd be happy to hear them.

Now, one more big surprise!  Today I received a phone call from my brother Clifford from North Carolina, and he and his family are in Florida to have Thanksgiving with his wife's family, but he asked if they could meet us tomorrow morning over here at a restaurant for breakfast, and of course I said YES!!  We haven't seen each other since the fall of 2019, because you know what happened after that and we haven't had a chance to get our families together since then.  So this will be a happy reunion! He will be bringing his wife and also their oldest daughter will come along with them. They are anxious to also go and see Dixie Cottage, and so of course Benton and Rose will be joining us for breakfast as well and then giving a tour of the store. Thankfully Benton and Rose's friend is going to be taking care of the store Tuesday and Wednesday to give them a little break (and us too!!!) so we can get ready for Thanksgiving!  Then they will be back at work in full force on Friday and Saturday.  So anyway, this was an unexpected happy surprise and blessing! Another thing to be thankful for this week!!

Okay, I need to stop and take a break.  Oh, I've been still putting things back in order in our house since our big event last week with the floor installation.  Almost everything is back in place, but it has been a much bigger job than I ever anticipated. Thankfully Rose is going to cook the turkey on Thursday and the other family members are all bringing food too, so I won't have to do as much. God is good and we are very very thankful!!

I hope to write again soon, but if not before Thanksgiving, then please have a blessed and wonderful Thanksgiving with your loved ones if at all possible.  

If you'd like to hear a good Thanksgiving sermon from Psalm 100, and also listen to our choir singing "Count Your Blessings", then here it is!!  

When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,

When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

Refrain:

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

Count your blessings, see what God has done!

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

Count your many blessings, see what God has done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?

Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,

And you will keep singing as the days go by.

Refrain

When you look at others with their lands and gold,

Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;

Count your many blessings—money cannot buy 

Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

Refrain

So, amid the conflict whether great or small,

Do not be discouraged, God is over all;

Count your many blessings, angels will attend,

Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

Happy Thanksgiving!!