Thanksgiving for the Other 364 Days

It’s Thanksgiving. I think I ate my weight in turkey, dressing, and all of the other usual Thanksgiving food groups. As I write this, I am in a semi-food coma, complete with tryptophan-induced euphoria. Life is good.

I would be amiss if I didn’t take time to list what I’m thankful for on this day of all days, so here goes:

1) I’m thankful for the noble sacrifice so many turkeys made so that I could eat my weight in deliciousness and probably have to go up a size or two in pants.

2) I’m thankful for having the day off from work so I could revel in my tryptophan high and slip into my usual food coma. Plus, I seriously doubt I would have been able to accomplish anything productive after stuffing my face with with much good food.

3) I’m thankful for all the Thanksgiving-themed episodes of Friends they’ve been showing on TV Land, especially the one with Joey’s thanksgiving pants.

4) I’m thankful that my afore-mentioned vanilla pumpkin pie cheesecake (see the previous blog) turned out to be not only edible, but quite tasty. One might even say scrumptious.

5) I’m thankful that I got to see all my family gathered together for at least one more year. If I got nothing else for the rest of the year, that alone would have been worth it.

That’s my list for Thanksgiving Day 2014.

I Made This!

I made a vanilla pumpkin pie cheesecake today. With my own hands, no less!

It even has layers. Layers, people!

I only say all this to tell you that you can do more than you think you can sometimes.

I didn’t say that if you put your mind to it, you can do anything. As hard as I try and as bad as I want it, I will never be able to dunk on a regulation basketball goal. Never. Even if I wear Michael Jordan’s Air Nikes.

I can however be all that God meant for me to be when He made me. I can fulfill the purposes He had in mind when He dreamed me up in His infinite mind.

That in my mind is way better.

Oh, and pictures to come on this spectacular (hopefully) cheesecake concoction.

 

Friends, Frothy Monkey, and Franklin

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A lady I work with remarked that the only good cats were dead ones. Obviously, she’s not a fan of cats. Lord, forgive them for they know not what they’re missin’.

I had another great night in downtown Franklin. I had a spectacular roast beef and provolone sandwich at my very favorite place to eat on Earth, which as you should know by now is McCreary’s Irish Pub. Seeing as I chose to eat at the optimal senior citizen dining time of 4:30 pm, I got prime seating on the patio on a picturesque Autumn afternoon.

Later, I ran into one of my favorite friends who always makes my heart happy when I see her and never fails to encourage me and make me smile. She and her dad were headed over to Sweet CeCe’s for some fro-yo (that is frozen yogurt for the novices out there). I recommended the pumpkin pie flavor, which is exceedingly delightful.

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I had a sweet potato pie latte at Frothy Monkey and sat on the patio while I sipped my little cup of heaven and reveled in just how very blessed I am. If I counted all my blessings, I’d easily surpass the 1,500 I came up with in my Things I Love series. I’d lose count before I ran out of blessings.

I got treated to an organ concert at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Well, it was more like the organ dude practicing and me showing up at the right time. I prayed a bit, sat still and silent for a bit, and just tried to be in the moment. A girl sat directly across from me, deep in prayer. I still don’t know who she was or what burdens she carried, but I did my best to intercede for her and agree with her in prayer for whatever she was asking from God. It felt like genuine New Testament Church.

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I had ol’ Hank Williams (Sr., not Jr.) providing the soundtrack to my ride home. With the windows down and the volume cranked up. It was magical.

Now I’m sitting here typing this on my iPad while my cat reposes in my lap. To many people’s great and lasting disappointment, she’s not dead. Only very sleepy. Probably dreaming of tuna again.