By BECKY CRISSMAN, Editor

becky.crissman@cordeledispatch.com

CORDELE — Thanksgiving is tomorrow. Everyone celebrates the day in different ways. Myself, as a child, my brothers and I would get up and watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade on television. It was a tradition that we continued with our own children.
What I remember the most about Thanksgiving growing up was the house was filled with the most wonderful smells, especially my grandma’s chicken and dumplings and red velvet cake. I would go tiptoeing to the kitchen to sneak a little pinch of cake and she would almost always catch me, which led me to believe that she really did have eyes in the back of her head. I remember watching her roll out those homemade dumplings that I loved so much. Though I have had other dumplings, nothing compares to grandma’s. When she was cooking she was in her zone and did not care for disturbance while she busied herself in the kitchen.
Those disturbances usually came from my grandpa wanting to know just how much longer it was gonna till the food was ready to us kids running through the house (which we got into tons of trouble for).
Now my brothers and I are grown with kids of our own. This is my son’s first year of college and it will be nice to have him home (although I will probably cry when he leaves AGAIN). We still enjoy dinner together as a family even though we are missing two vital members, my grandma and grandpa. We carry on the traditions that began with them.
However you choose to spend your Thanksgiving, please do not remember the true meaning of the holiday…… To give thanks… To be Thankful for what God has blessed you with.
So tomorrow when you are getting ready to dive into a delicious Thanksgiving feast surrounded by family and friends be thankful.
Be thankful, even though the kids are running around screaming, because somewhere a parent is sitting home missing the sounds of their little one.
Be thankful to be surrounded by your family because somewhere there is someone missing a loved one who has passed away.
Be thankful for the food on the table before you, even if it is something you may not like, there are people who sit with empty stomachs because they have no food.
Be thankful, even for the mess in the house and the dishes piled up, because there are so many homeless on the streets who have no place warm to spend the holiday.
Be thankful that we live in a country where we are free to be thankful, and to celebrate and worship as we choose because somewhere a family prays for a loved one, far away defending our right to be free.
Be thankful for what you have, remember those who are without, pray for our troops so far away from their families this Thanksgiving and Christmas season.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
I wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving. God Bless each and every one and God Bless America.