Traditions

One of the things I am learning is that as you grow up, there comes a time to create your own traditions. I think somewhere in the back of my mind this was catalogued as something couples do when they get married and start life together. I am not part of a couple, and thus, have no traditions to create. Au contraire!

I suppose I already have a few small traditions in my head for holidays.

• I like to eat Chinese food on Christmas Eve.
• I like to travel somewhere I've never been for my birthday.
• I have a go-to recipe for Green Bean Casserole that I use for both Thanksgiving and Christmas.
• I refuse to wear red or pink on Valentine's Day, and like to cook a special meal for my single girlfriends on that day.
• I like to watch Luther on Halloween.

But that's about it. Hmmm....what to add to that?

Well, this year, after our big Thanksgiving meal that a bunch of us had together, we divied up the left-overs so that everyone had a little bit of everything that had been brought to the party. On a whim, I invited a bunch of friends over to watch all the Thanksgiving episodes of Friends while eating left-overs on Black Friday.

I enjoyed it so much! It felt like hanging out with my family on Black Friday, still in that stuffed stupor, laughing, talking, watching TV, just doing whatever. It felt right. I'm not a big Macy's Parade or football kind of person, but I always enjoy the fellowship time with family while they enjoy those things. With the girls I have here, laughing over Friends fit that mold perfectly.

I think I have a new Black Friday tradition.

Thanksgiving 2011

Traditionally on my blog, I have a Top 10 list of non-traditional things I am thankful for from the past year. Why non-traditional? Because I try my hardest to be thankful all year long for the traditional things like Jesus, grace, God's provision, family, friends, health, etc. This year, though, the list looks a little more traditional. Why?

I'm not gonna lie...this year has not been easy. And one of the things I sort of feel thankful for is that it's over. As I look back at the year, I think things like:

• I am thankful that the Chef's wife didn't die, and that God brought her through that terrible heart ordeal.
• I am thankful that my friends were all safe during the uprisings in Tunisia, and that even though I didn't understand why God had me leave when He did...I am glad now that He had me leave when He did. I probably would not have handled a revolution very well.
• The Radical Experiment was hard, and part of me feels like I didn't even do it to my upmost ability, but I am thankful for how it opened my eyes...to how greedy I am and how much I do not put Jesus first in my life as a I should.
• Language school was a dark and lonely period and I am thankful that I'm not there anymore.
• Living with the Wise family was awesome and challenging all at the same time, and I am thankful I got to experience that...but again, thankful that I'm not there anymore.
• There were some deep hurts this year that sent my soul down into the pit, and I'm still trying to figure out how to be thankful about that. I am thankful now, that it seems God is beginning, hopefully, to pull me out of it.
• The summer in Paris was unexpected, continued my homelessness for even a while longer, and that was yet another challenge. But I had fun, and am thankful that my relationship with Paris was restored, renewed, redeemed. I'm glad we're back in each other's good graces.

In the midst of all those things, though, there were so many great things to be thankful for!

10. Friends. I've always hoped and even prayed to have a good close girl friend. God's given me several. Joy. The Superhero's wife. The camelridingcowgirl. The Real McCoy's.

9. Having a HOME. After 27 months of being homeless, living out of a suitcase, having my stuff strewed across several continents, I finally have a place to call my own. I finally got everything in one place and unpacked. I finally started putting down some roots.

8. Master Yoda and Princess Leah's wedding. Yippee! I have a sister-in-law! I am so thankful that I got to go home and be there for the wedding.

7. It's been several years since I put this on the list, but SKYPE. I am so thankful for the internet and being able to stay connected with my close friends and family with webcam's and phone calls. It makes me far away seem not so far away.

6. The sunshine in Marseille. The warm weather in Marseille. MARSEILLE.

5. That I have a year in a furnished apartment so that I can take my time in furnishing my own place, and even just looking for my own place. I don't make decisions quickly. And the extra year helps not have to pay for everything all at once too. So thankful for all of that.

4. All the fun things I've gotten to do this year. 8-Course Meals, Chateaux, Giverny, Bastille Day, the Tour de France, Cinema in the Park, Chick-Fil-A, Arles, Swan Lake.

3. The Fly Lady. I really am thankful for her cleaning/organizing/motivational systems and how it helps me to get my house in order. There is peace that comes with knowing that my sink is shiny and there is this little joy that comes from that peace. I am thankful for all of that.

2. My kitchen. I began dreaming of my own kitchen when I was about 22 or so. And while I've had kitchens since then, I never could afford to buy good enough stuff for the kitchen to be able to cook in it the way I dreamt of. This year, that all changed. I have a big kitchen. I can afford to buy stuff for my kitchen. I have time to cook in the kitchen. I love my kitchen.

1. Grace, mercy, God's kindness and love. It got me through this year. It gives me hope that the next year will be better.

So...Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Know that I am truly thankful for each one of you and the gift of your friendship in my life! I hope that your Turkey day is wonderful, your fellowship with friends and family blessed, and that no matter what you're eating or where you're eating it, that you are thankful for God's wonderful grace, love, mercy, and provision in your life.

Thanksgiving 2010

Well, I'm a day late (and a dollar short) on my Thanksgiving post. That's because I:

a. got up at 5:30am on Thanksgiving to get ready for class,

b. went to class to meet my new teacher and then asked for an excused absence for the rest of the day so I could prepare for and then celebrate Thanksgiving dinner,

c. spent the whole afternoon preparing my part of Thanksgiving dinner (not easy in a 2-burner, no countertop and only toaster oven'd kitchen),

d. enjoyed all evening eating and laughing with friends,

e. raced home to Skype my family,

f. and then went back outside at 9:00pm to walk around the city in the snow.

Yes, it snowed on Thanksgiving here. Click HERE to see photos from the night walk. Click HERE to see what it looks like in daytime, ie, the photos I took this morning once the sun had woken up (but never came out of the cloud-covers). I am thankful for the snow. It had been forecast for the whole week, but didn't show up until late Thanksgiving evening, and I was beginning to think it wasn't going to show, which was making me feel disappointed. Then, oh how big those flakes were and I literally jumped for joy. I've enjoyed it all day today. I'm thankful for pretty whiteness instead of driving rain. I'm thankful for the fun spirit it brings to the air and makes everyone laugh.

This year, I'm so thankful to finally be back in France. I'm thankful for free heating and a free cleaning lady! I'm thankful, as always, for my friends and family, for my health, and for the many abundant blessings the Lord has been faithful to give this year.

As I look back at the past year, here's my top 10 list of things I'm thankful for (in no particular order):

10. My time in North Africa. I've said it was the deepest, most rich learning experience I've ever been through.

9. Princess Leah. In French, she'll soon be my belle-soeur, which literally translated is my pretty sister, which is even better than sister-in-law, don't you think?

8. That I got so much concentrated time with my family.

7. The Radical Experiment.

6. All my trips I got to take: the cruise to the Bahamas, the trip to California, NY in the fall, etc.

5. That I've made it 11 months without buying a book. (WHAT?! Wow.)

4. For the Real McCoys in North Africa. How would I have survived without them?

3. For CSI here in Bes. I'd be so bored without her!

2. That the Suits finally made it overseas.

1. For Ephesians. Best part of my year.

Now I'm off to go eat some birthday cake with a certain 2 year old. Then watch the Iron Bowl. Oh yeah! I'm thankful that I just might actually be able to watch it live streaming online. War Eagle and Happy Thanksgiving!

Top 10 Thanksgiving 2009

Are you ready for it? It'll be fast.

Top 10 non-traditional things I am thankful for this year.

10. SNOW in Marseille!!! Hands down my favorite day I ever had in France.

9. Princess Harry came to France and we got to debrief together our last 2+ years after having left the Farm together back in 2006.

8. Friends: Jelly Bean, Barney, the camelridingcowgirl, notpoems.

7. Getting to see the Tour de France pass through Marseille. Super cool.

6. The Mad Dash about Europe 2009.

5. Getting to stand where Martin Luther stood and said "Here I stand." Pretty awesome moment.

4. That I still have a job. Pretty amazing.

3. Time in America. With friends. In English. Traveling around. Good stuff.

2. Concentrated time with all my family. Really good stuff.

1. Getting so much worship time in English this year. Needed.

Top 10 Thanksgiving 2008

In no particular order, and especially since I already have several other Top 10 lists up this month, I'll keep this post short. This year, I am thankful for:

10. My dear sweet friend Kelly, and all the joy she brings into my life.

9. The trip to America: New York! Princess William! Seeing the Suits! Virginia!

8. Getting to go Lanola's wedding.

7. The whole summer in Marseille. SO THANKFUL.

6. That my Mom and Meme came to visit!!!

5. The growth that came out of Marseille in me.

4. The trip to Egypt. Wowzah!

3. The fall in Paris has helped bring some healing in my relationship with Paris.

2. That I'm getting to move to Marseille very soon.

1. It hasn't happened yet--but I'm very thankful that I'm going to get to go to Morocco for Christmas!

If you'd told me six months ago that I'd be staying in France another year, I never would have believed you! I mean, I sent trunks home with my Mom! But Marseille changed alot, and now here I am, sticking around for another year. And I truly am thankful for that.

Happy Thanksgiving! Be thankful for all things!

Thursday, November 22, 2007 (aka, Thanksgiving)

This year's top 10 (random) things I am thankful for...

10. Baguettes
9. My big armed cozy reading chair
8. The 2-cup cute little coffee pot in my room that is just the right size
7. The long black sweater jacket I found at a market for 10 euros
6. All my friends named Amanda who make me laugh so hard
5. Each of the MMTAT's--for a different reason for each one
4. That the local bakery people have begun to recognize me and are so nice
3. Sunshine in France...it's a beautiful thing
2. The internet--I really, really am thankful for it!
1. God is bigger and stronger than rocks that are sealed so that situations won't change (see Daniel 6:17 and Matthew 27:66)

And...Super thankful that KKW and Master Yoda are coming in LESS THAN ONE MONTH! I'm starting to get so excited I can hardly contain it! I am thankful to each of you that still comes and reads my blog. Yall rock. Have a great Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

The fam and I are leaving in about an hour for several fun-filled days with the extended fam in GA. So probably no blogging for me for a few days... Here's my "what-I'm-thankful-for" post.

(Traditional, expected things aside, since I'm thankful for them every day of the year...things like family, friends, and Jesus.)

10. Getting so much one on one time with Master Yoda this year.
9. There are no more plague of crickets.
8. God gave me a year of rest and restoration on a quiet little farm.
7. Aunts and Uncles that are awesome with cool kids and who bless me regularly.
6. I learned to quilt! I am now a quilter! Now that makes for a good year!
5. Friends like Whitey that fly me out to CA. (Space Mountain broke!)
4. Getting to go to three weddings! Such fun! Such bliss!
3. A little baby named Schlomo and his amazing parents, the Suits.
2. Sleeping well for an entire YEAR. Woo-hoo for the zzzz's!
1. The fall leaves this year, and having sight to see them. They felt like a little gift straight from God just to ME.

Top 10 Tuesday: Thanksgiving Edition

Top Ten Tuesday has been digitally remastered to uh, Thursday...for thanksgivingish reasons. I hope you all enjoy your turkey, sweet potatoes and pumpkin. I know I'll enjoy mine. (And for those of you who wanted it, the Pumpkin Risotto recipe is posted just below. Yum Yum. Only good as a side dish, though, not a main meal).

Top Ten Non-Traditional Things I am Thankful For
(Traditional being things like Jesus, family, friends, health, home, etc. Of course I am thankful for those!)

10. The ability to read
9. Coffee
8. Rain, especially in the desert
7. That I haven't died while driving in a round-a-bout yet
6. Being able to buy pumpkin in a foreign county
5. Flip flops in warm weather and fun socks in cold weather
4. That I got this opportunity to live and work here in this crazy desert
3. That the rats are dead
2. My curly hair
1. SKYPE!!! (Do you skype? If not, why not!?)

Just so it can be said, though--I am thankful down to the pits of my core for Mom, Dad, Master Yoda, Auntie K and fam, the two Aunt S's and fam's, MEME (and I don't mean the blog tagging, I mean my wonderful grandmother) and Grandaddy, Grandaddy in Texas, the gazillion cousins, Ms Deb and fam, and all of my parent's church.

Also thankful for LO-ren, the Alma Gemea, KKW, Sparky, H & S (and third), all my scattered friends in US and abroad, S & S in C, the futebol guy, the P5, the friend here who shares the same name as Sparky but whose name shall not appear on my blog, Miss Sally, and my church here.

I am thankful for my health, and that I've not gotten seriously sick while being overseas during this last year. That I'm not suffering too bad during my six months of a stupid medication and praise the Lord, only have two months left to go. That the dentist gave me a clean bill of health once again this week--no cavities, no problems, everything's good, thank goodness. I can see, hear, walk, and use all my fingers. :)

But most importantly, and without it everything else would be naught, I am ragamuffinly grateful for my precious Jesus. He sees my heart and loves me anyway. He knew my wretchedness and chose me anyway. He is my salvation--from sin, from despair, from myself. He set me free, is setting me free, and will set me free--praise His glorious name! I am so thankful to even be able to know of Him, much less have the unspeakable privilege to know Him more and more each day. What deep mystery of love is this?

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights..."