Our Thanksgiving day

I come from a large, very very large family. And each year some percentage of us will gather together on the banks of the Atlantic on the southern island of Hilton Head and spend a few days together celebrating Thanksgiving.

It is one of my most cherished holidays.

Not because of the bounty of food that we no doubt consume-but because of the sheer bounty of loved ones I have the joy of spending time with. Last year was a difficult time being away from my family over the Thanksgiving holiday. I missed the playful banter, the late night talks and laughing, the bear hugs, the sounds of a new generation pounding over the floors and giggling in the other rooms, sitting on the sofa while the football games echoed in the background, making last minute food runs with my mom, and all the hilarious shenanigans that would happen over the course of the week.

And even though I still longed to be with my family last week, this year was easier being far away. This year we decided to host a Thanksgiving dinner at our home and open it to whoever needed a place to come to feel the same sense of family and togetherness they were no doubt longing for just like us. And we had a marvelous time. Every seat at our table was filled with friends, both new and old. But for the night, we were not simply friends, we were family. An unrelated family from different countries who came together and shared in what this holiday is really about....togetherness.

(Nicole, Isaak, Rhyan, Kate, Lacey, Bridgette, Rebecca, Julia, Branden, Fred, Nathanja, with Jake, Jonah, Gannon, Harrison, Elijah, Gideon, Sydaleigh and Marvelly)

In addition to the great company, we did also have a lot of great food! I cooked a turkey for the second time ever. Turkeys in Burkina are pretty much non-existent but can sometimes be found in November for around $75-$100. Which, makes them kinda unpractical to buy. So we were all very grateful for the aircraft that lovingly flew in, thanks to the generosity of the USO and military, turkeys to eat this year!

Everyone brought something delicious to eat, like mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, broccoli casserole, and apple die. I made a turkey, stuffing, homemade mac n' cheese, crescent rolls, gravy, fudge, chocolate creme pie, jello, and a pumpkin trifle that looked strikingly similar to the meat dessert that Rachel made on the Thanksgiving episode of Friends....

"Ross: It tastes like feet!
Joey: Well, I like it.
Ross: Are you kidding?!
Joey: I mean, what's not to like? Custard, good. Jam, good. Meat, good!"

Just like that. Crazy how that's what came to mind whenever anyone looked at it. Thanksfully mine didn't taste like feet, and there was no meat in it, despite the fact that my ground up pumpkin bread looked exactly like ground up beef layered with pumpkin custard and whipped creme.  :) Good times.

There was plenty of food, and laughter was abounding. There was a football game on that echoed in the background.

There were good friends, and hugs, and the sounds of a new generation pounding over the floors and giggling and playing in the rooms. There were sweet memories made. And it felt as close to our time in Hilton Head with family that you could get being over  5,000 miles away in Burkina Faso. And we all had a glorious time. I was so overwhelmingly thankful this year for the Lord's provision of friends here in Burkina, both young and old, for us and for our children, to help fill the role of family that we are always missing. It was a day to be truly thankful.

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations." Ps. 100:4-5