Something to Bring to the Table

Heard on the radio that many people consider the biggest culinary challenge of making that Thanksgiving feast is... the pie crust! Funny, isn't it, how we have such complementary strengths/skills and weaknesses/insecurities.

Sometimes those weaknesses, ours or someone else's, can seem so painful and frustrating. Yet weakness is a gift in its own way (see 2 Corinthians). And often enough, we can instead focus on ours or others' strengths.

This is the beauty of potluck; each one brings what they do best. And with Great-Aunt Lois' Perfect Pie Crust recipe at hand, I find my part as easy as pie. This time, pumpkin (of course) and raspberry sour cream. Yum!

I did, by the way, attend a 'Thanksgiving Eve' service at church (I mentioned below that this can be problematic for me). No problem. It was good. But it helps to think and talk through the potential emotional pitfalls in advance.

I'm thankful for quite a few things about this remarkable life I've been given. You know, ever since the tower of Babel the human family has been divided by language and geography. Yet God's fingerprints are on every person, and it's not really difficult to find the family resemblances, no matter who you're with - if you have eyes to see.

This summer I had rich, fascinating conversations with both Muslims and Christians in Southeast Asia; they shared their lives with me. This week I spoke, "chatted" or corresponded with people in half a dozen countries, and sent the ezine to people all over the world. Yesterday, running errands around town, I made a new friend and ran into some old friends also out shopping. Each person has a story to tell, something to give, and chances are there's some way I can come alongside them as well. I love that.

Guess what? I was too tired to make my pie crusts yesterday and now, turning on the parade, making coffee, and rolling up sleeves to start baking, I discover we're out of shortening. I'm thankful Safeway is open today - off I go!