Feasting

In typical Thanksgiving fashion, I spent two days in the kitchen cooking and baking and it took only about 30 minutes to eat it. There are times when I think it would just be easier to go out to eat. That way my back wouldn't ache, my hands wouldn't be shriveled from being in dish water and it would probably be cheaper in the long run. 

I never look good in pictures because I've been standing over a hot stove for hours. I got the usual "why do you need to take a picture?" groans, but as I told my family yesterday these photos are memories. 

Preparing a feast takes a lot of work. But I do enjoy making the holidays special for my family. It is a challenge to drive the hour to pick up the in-laws. It's a little scary to maneuver them in and out of the house when they are both pretty wobbly. We listen to the same stories over and over from my mother-in-law who has Alzheimer's. And we deal with some pretty sloppy eating from my father-in-law who has dexterity issues and can't see so well. He has severe OCD and everything has to be "just so" which can be exhausting. Then we have to drive them an hour back home. So having them here adds four extra hours of drive time to the day. 

Dan had an added challenge yesterday because there is a snow storm coming and his father insisted on going to the grocery store to get "essentials" before they came here. Maneuvering them both around the grocery store is always difficult and his dad refuses to allow us to just pick up what he needs. 

Yet, I'm thankful for these memories. I know we aren't going to have them around much longer, and despite the challenges, I do want to spend time with them. I don't want to look back with regret. Is it inconvenient and exhausting at times? Yes. Is it worth it? Yes. It requires me setting aside my own selfish desires and doing the hard thing. But it absolutely has been the right thing to do. It is improving their quality of life.

Yesterday was a day of feasting, making memories and family. This family is not perfect and has many challenges. But I'm thankful for how God is using my family to stretch me and help me grow less selfish and learning to serve others more. 

Because I ate a bunch of food that I normally don't eat, I am paying the price today. I've been up since 3 a.m. and spent the morning feasting on the word of God and in prayer. I'm thankful for that feast as well, because it's the necessary food to be able to handle whatever comes my way in the new day. This feasting is making memories as well. Memories of how the Lord is showing up in my life and helping me along the way.