Channeling Martha Stewart

The decision was made at about 4:00 on Wednesday afternoon. We will eat Thanksgiving dinner at home, so we were one of the couples cramming the overflowing parking lot of our local supermarket during rush hour. The turkey we got is not organic, is not fresh-killed, free-range, or anything else I would've imagined. In fact, it's a regular old Norbest, and we won't even be brining it since it's already carrying a load of injected broth and seasonings. At this moment it is sitting in an ice chest in the garage, thawing. We hope.

All this because the damn Chinese restaurants are closed. Which makes me grateful to note today's New Testament reading:

John 6:25-35

[28] Then they said to him, "What must we do to perform the works
of God?" [29] Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you
believe in him whom he has sent." [30] So they said to him, "What sign
are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you?
What work are you performing? [31] Our ancestors ate the manna in the
wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to
eat.'" [32] Then Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, it was
not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who
gives you the true bread from heaven. [33] For the bread of God is
that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." [34]
They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always." [35] Jesus said to
them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be
hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."

So on the menu is turkey, sweet potatoes, corn bread & bacon dressing, peas, creamed onions, with pumpkin flan for dessert. But at the center of the feast will be the assurance that this is not the food that really gives us life. It's only the food that gets us through life.

So if you're headed out for Chinese today and are disappointed to find the restaurants closed, here are two things you might want to note:

1. It's not about the food anyway (and)
2. We have plenty. C'mon over.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!