Thanksgiving Dinner
We want to wish a very happy and joyful day of thanksgiving to all of our readers, friends, and loved ones. We have just completed our first observance of our favorite national holiday experienced in a foreign country.
The seeming lack of concern by the Cambodian people and many of our new friends here for our peculiar day of worship and thanks did not in the least bit deter or dampen our fervor. In fact, though we had received at least two gracious invitations to join with other American missionaries for the observance of today, we chose instead to celebrate privately in our home.
The day began with a game of dress-up in which the boys tried out their excellent new American Indian costumes and the girls dressed in 19th century pioneer outfits complete with their white bonnets and aprons. The children also completed some really exceptional paintings and artwork (see Facebook photo albums) while Mommy was busy in the kitchen.
While Joseph slept in, Rachel worked in the kitchen preparing a traditional Thanksgiving feast. With only a minor interruption/trial in that Joseph failed to remove his passport from yesterday’s trousers resulting in it being washed along with his temporary driver’s license, visas, and endorsements (Joseph will be travelling to Phnom Penh next week to sort things out at the Embassy and Immigration Offices) the day was spent in play, rest, and actual giving of thanks.
Tonight, leftovers were served in the living area as we watched the first half of the Little House on the Prairie made for television movie together.
To close the day, we opened and read the notes of thanks giving which each of our family have prepared for the past five days and placed in a jar for safekeeping. The notes (in no particular order and without credit to their authors) were as follows:
- I am thankful for God’s forgiveness.
Jar of Thanks Giving
- Iam thankful for my friends.
- I am thankful for God’s love – I love God.
- I am thankful for Mommy and Daddy.
- I am thankful that God loves us enough to give us His word and allow us to share His word with others, even in South East Asia.
- I am thankful that I have a God to love.
- I am thankful for dishwashers.
- I am thankful for rain and that I get to play in it.
- I am thankful for our 4 healthy and smart children.
- I am thankful that we have friends in Cambodia.
- I am thankful for the United States of America and for the freedom that we enjoy as citizens.
- I am thankful for our American Flag. (we have one hanging on our gate.)
- I am thankful for a God fearing husband.
- I am thankful for our car.
- I am thankful that I have a family to love and to be kind to.
- I am thankful for my family.
- I am thankful for Jesus’ love and for the gift of salvation in the knowledge that he has given.
- I am thankful for the strong arms of my Heavenly Father, and His faithfulness to carry me so many times when I was too weak to walk.
- I am very thankful that we have a place to stay.
- I am thankful for dress up clothes.
- I am thankful that I have a place to live.
- I am thankful for the telephone.
- I am thankful for you and me.
- I am thankful for the mango tree.
- I am thankful that God has provided me a job and the ability to support our family, especially in this time when many men cannot.
- I am thankful for two beautiful girls, two handsome boys, and for their Mommy most of all.
