Thanksgiving Dinner

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

from the five Kennys

Kerry, Mel and Erica

We had the great pleasure this year of hosting the ladies from Erica's Wednesday night Bible Study over for our Canadian Thanksgiving Celebration. We had a great time gathering in our backyard and enjoying laughter and great food.

Awesome Things!

One of our traditions at Thanksgiving is for everyone at the table to share something they are thankful for. This year, we were inspired by Neil Pasricha's blog "1000 Awesome Things" at www.1000awesomethings.com

After grace, we shared a list of some of our favourite "awesome things" -- just every day little things that are just so good that you have to be thankful for them. Then we invited everyone around the table to share the little joys that are so good that they are "awesome!" (We'd love to hear what might make your list of awesome things!)

Here are a few we shared around the table:

Taking off your shoes after being on your feet all day -- Awesome! Turning over onto the cool side of your pillow in the middle of the night. Sharing both Canadian and America Thanksgiving...

Eating under our umbrella tree!

... the air just before a thunderstorm. Getting into the fast check out at the grocery store. Finding forgotten money in an old jacket. Getting personal mail. Catching food in your mouth...

Happy Thanksgiving!

... when you cook something new and everyone likes it! Baby toes. Seeing your reflection in a store window and liking what you see. Looking up while underwater. Swimming in warm water and diving down into the deeper cooler water. Staying up so late that everything seems funny. Remembering that name that was on the tip of everyone else's tongue. Horrible fake accents made by close friends...

Carol and Wendy

... when a character in a movie visits a place you know. Seeing a dog that looks just like your dog. When someone else posts a great picture of you on Facebook. When that awful obligation gets cancelled! Sneaking cheap candy into the movie theatre. When guests do the dishes even after you told them not to. Fitting into those old jeans you forgot about at the back of your closet. When the person your meeting is later than you are. When a baby falls asleep on you. Dancing when you are home alone. Finally peeing after holding it forever. Laughing so hard you start to cry...

Erica, Kami, and Tiffany

... laughing so hard you make no sound at all! The smell of a freshly mowed lawn. A great sneeze! Screaming at characters in movies to do things. Remembering that it is a long weekend -- Awesome!

Our girls cutting into the pumpkin pie!

Listening to our four year old giggling -- Awesome!

As we visited together, we were talking to one of our friends who lost her grandmother last year just after Thanksgiving. Her mom shared how that Thanksgiving with everyone around the table was both deeply sad and joyful, as they knew it would be the last Thanksgiving with Grammy, but not the last great banquet they would share together -- the hope of heaven's banquet table was a deep and abiding reality for their family.

As we shared together, a painting by Nova Scotia artist Rick Berry came to mind. In Rick's painting "Come", he captures the great banquet feast where God's people of every tongue and tribe gather together. Thanksgiving is only a tiny glimpse of the great celebration we will one day experience! May the grace and peace of God meet you where ever you are today, and may you be reminded of all that is truly awesome!

"Come" By Canadian artist Rick Berry

Check out Rick's incredible work at his website www.rikberry.com