Tip of My Iceberg

Yes, that’s a turkey made out of M&M’s.

Nothing says Happy Thanksgiving like chocolate that melts in your mouth and not in your hands.

Thanksgiving brings to mind all I have to be grateful for. This turkey was made by two wonderful women, Robin and Holly, who work with my husband. Their creativity goes beyond imagination.

Even better than that, they have gone above and beyond in making his life better, easier–and mine as well.

I’m grateful that they’re committed to working toward excellence–and I benefit from that. It’s a reminder that what I’m most grateful for is people.

When I was a kid, Thanksgiving was a time of gathering generations of family. From Granny, aunts, and uncles to cousins by the dozens. We kids would run around making trouble and listening to the grown-ups laugh and talk about anything and everything.

It was a tradition.

What I didn’t understand then was how grateful I was for family. For stories of the “old country” told by Aunt Mae. How we celebrated with dumplings and sauerkraut with turkey instead of green bean casserole. For Uncle Gus taking home movies with the bright lights that made everyone squint. For Granny taking command over all the chefs in the kitchen. Aromas that still take me back to childhood.

It was the people who made it happen.

Those people helped shape me.

I’m thankful for the opportunity to remember that I’m not what I’ve made of myself. My story encapsulates those whose fingerprints are on different chapters of my life. Some of those fingerprints are smudged and rough; others are gentle and clear. The stuff and clutter of life can often fog over those impressions, but remembering who those people are, how they’ve impacted me, is necessary.

Many of those people are no longer around. Their stories have an ending that’s already written.

For many of them, I never had–or took–the opportunity to say thank you for all I learned, all I gained from knowing them.

Being thankful isn’t just for a day. We take time as a country to remember all we’re blessed with. Freedom to agree or disagree with the status quo. Freedom to worship as we choose. Freedom to try to better ourselves.

Commercialism is trying to reduce that to a day off from work and school. Black Friday has oozed into Thanksgiving. Gratitude is often overlooked in light of holiday deals and early bargains.

What if we didn’t worry about the presents and paraphernalia for Christmas? What if we really took the day to be grateful for all the people in our lives? The good and the bad that have shaped us to be better than we were. People who have impacted us in our growth?

Jesus reminded us that in all things we should give thanks. It’s an acknowledgment that our lives are purposeful, that God is intersecting our lives in meaningful ways to help us grow up and be more mature.

It begins with a “thank you”. To all those who matter.

Like the wonderful gals who made the M&M turkey.

Gratitude will always shape attitude.