On Thursday, I've been invited to the home of my bishop and his cute family. After an hour there, I have to scoot to work -- where I'm in charge of getting the turkey from Boston Market for our work feast. The company is provided the main course and mashed potatoes, and we're doing a potluck for the rest. No doubt we'll have two offerings of corn, a salad and then 50 desserts, but that's the fun of potlucks, right?
Steven carving the roast beast in 2007. Joe ate with us, too.
(Bonus points if you spot the odd detail in this picture.)
And then -- as if that's not enough! -- Steven and I are doing our own dinner on Friday. As much as I love doing the big family gathering -- the cousins at the "kids" table while the adults are in the formal living room; the huge varieties of home-made dishes; and the leftover turkey -- it's fun doing a dinner just me and the bro. The control! No yucky veggies (Brussel sprouts, I'm looking at you!), no pies, no turkeys with guts you have to deal with. Just turkey breast, corn, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing (for Steven), yam souffle and brownies. (And Coke, of course!) Deeeelicious!
But I am probably happiest about the two that have already happened. These are ones my brother and I gave to families in our ward. Actually, this is the second year my brother has arranged this. He approached the bishop and asked if we could donate the groceries for a T-Day meal or two. We dropped the food off at the bishop's house today, and he delivered it to the families. The bishop later passed along one family's thanks, saying the mother cried when he arrived with the bags of food. She had been at Walmart earlier and didn't know how she could afford a Thanksgiving meal for her family.
I've certainly read enough about how times are tough, but I find -- maybe this is true for you, too -- that it's easy to think somehow the people around you are insulated and that everything is OK. It makes me feel humble and very grateful that I am blessed to have enough for me and enough to share. And it made me realize that although now "want is keenly felt, and abundance rejoices," I need to be service-minded and generous throughout the year.






