Devotionals

---

Thanksgiving at Walnut Grove
By Missey Butler

Thanksgiving in our home was always a time of social graces, linen table clothes, grand-ma’s fine china and of course tons of mouth watering recipes, served piping hot at the sound of “Let’s eat!”

My Dad and brothers would pry themselves away from the football game to find their seat at the table, while my sister and I would help with the last minute servings of ice tea and homemade rolls. Mom would proudly walk in with the gravy boat filled to the rim, as we scurried to move aside the whipped potatoes and candied yams in order to find just the right place for it. Grandma would be untying her apron while shoeing away “Maggie” our black lab, who was slowly trying to make her way under the dinner table before anybody noticed.

Yep, it was pretty much organized “mayhem” but we loved it that way. It was just nice that we were all together in the relax atmosphere called “home,” there at 10 Walnut Grove. My parents had raised us five kids in the same house that we moved in some 50 years earlier. They even converted the detached garage into a cozy cottage for my grandmother to live in.

My oldest brother, Steve would usually lead us in the blessing of the food, with his very predictable reciting of “Good food, Good meat, it’s get’n late, let’s eat!” We’d all laugh, and then mom would give him “that look,” which translated into “Ok, young man now you need to get serious about saying the blessing,” and of course he did. My dear brother never once failed to thank the good Lord for His bountiful blessings so graciously extended to our family through out the years. We all bowed our heads in humble recognition of His sovereignty and goodness in our lives.

After the blessing, and a moment of quiet reverence, a humble voice would sheepishly ask: “Can someone please pass the potatoes? And from that moment on… it was every man for himself! “Mom, did you make the sweet potato crunch this year?” “Kate, while you’re up, could you get us some more butter?” “Mark, did you notice what team was leading after the first quarter?” Chatter, chatter and more chatter, while Dad would be steady carving the huge turkey and making sure everybody got their choice of light or dark meat.

IT WAS WONDERFUL. Everybody busy talking about this, that, and the other. Later on after the coffee and pumpkin pie, we would all pitch in to clear the table and like good soldiers, we would faithfully report for kitchen duty. After the last dinner plate was washed, dried and put away, we would than congregate to the family room, role up our sleeves and choose sides for a serious game of Charades!

Finally, as the evening wore on, my brother Brian would lean over and whisper something to my mom about a favorite request. She would slowly get up and go over to the antique family pump organ and play two songs that had become a family tradition. They were, “In the Garden, and The Old rugged cross.” We all would sit quietly and listen while she played and sang. She seemed to be carried off by the meaning of words, as if none of us were even there.

Later on in the evening all of us (a little sleepy) from the sumptuous feasting, would gather up the grand-children, diaper bags, wrapped up leftovers and head for the front door. Yes, many thanksgiving have come and gone there at 10 Walnut Grove, but we all recognize to this day, God’s hand of favor and blessing upon this large, loving Irish family and never for one moment do we take for granted the priceless gift of these holiday gatherings.

This time of the year always evokes a longing and a desire to come together in one accord, whether it be with a family, a couple, a group of friends or the simple act of one individual expressing gratitude and thankfulness to the God who shares his “infinite supply” with all of his beloved creation.

I can’t help but think of that beautiful song by John Fawcett written in 1782 called, “Blest Be the Tie.” It’s an old Methodist hymn that speaks about the wonderful cord of unity we all share with one another and how we are bound together in His love. The beginning lyric starts out:

Bless be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;

The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above.

As we come together this Thanksgiving season with hearts full of love, and thoughts of deep gratitude for what we have, we can’t help but become “myriads” of His likeness, one to another. What a beautiful example is set before us in scripture when Jesus said,

“This is how you will know they are Christians, by their love… one for another.”

May this Thanksgiving be a very special time of bountiful blessing for all!

From our household to yours!
Happy Thanksgiving!

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE