Yep, I arose early, made stuffing, prepared and stuffed the bird, giblets on the stovetop, oven roasting away with the turkey, soon aromas fondly reminiscent of days long gone by will begin to fill the house, awakening memories of Grandma cackling with laughter as her blessed family was gathered around her, Grandpa telling the same old stories over and over again with the same gusto with which I had first heard them..... only now it is our generation making memories for our younguns. We invite Floyd a kinda
"slow" fella from our church to our table. He lives alone in "the projects" a product of emotional pain from a checkered family past. Our daughter wonders "why" bring him here, but the lesson is in the experience and the giving, showing friend Floyd he is loved..... takes time for some of our youth to catch on. Mom-in-law and Bro-in-law are here, tremendous blessings in our lives. My Mom and Dad no longer travel due to the Alzheimers....... but they will have folks gathered at their table, people Dad still seems to recognize.

We gather together to thank the Lord for our blessings all, even those which bring me to this special place in which to share. Interesting that, my wife stood at the mic during our Thanksgiving Eve service and thanked God for the growth she has seen in me over the time I have shared on here. This place is blessed and confers blessings on all who enter whether they realize it or not. As Rae has SO OFTEN WRITTEN, we have developed an extended family here, one for which I thank God.

Blessings to all this day, mindful of He from whom all blessings come,
Mark56