Dicing The Bread

I can never think of Thanksgiving without memories of making the stuffing, cleaning the silver, peeling potatoes and using Great Grandma Weber's china.  It's part of the process..

Take the bread for the stuffing.  I dice it myself and let it dry. Yes I know you can buy it already dried.  Sure it's easier. I could by it dried and already spiced. But it sure wouldn't be the same. Sometimes we have to do things the same for the experience to be the same. Other times we make adjustments in life, and in cooking, to get the same, or better results.

Different seasons in life require changing up the recipe as we know it.  In some parts of our life we have less than ever before.  More struggles, way less comfort zone.  Yet, the losses intensify the graces we still enjoy.  Like the bread we have to be dried out a little to be reinvented into something more. Dang that drying out process is not a comfortable place to be!

Truth be told the phrase "it is what it is" used to irritate the heck out of me. Now, I have come to accept it. No pain, no gain is another one.  Raising my hand, ready for the gain part! But aren't we all.

So today, as I dice the bread for a feast later this weekend, I know this.  A little drying out is not a bad thing.  When I peel potatoes and clean silver I'll remember we how blessed we are in life.  In fact, we have more blessings than we have numbers to count. If that isn't reason to get out the good china, I don't know what is.

 

Let There Be Gravy

It's that time of year.  Thanksgiving is just a few days away and the holidays will fall in right behind.

Let me just say life is not all gravy.  And I do love gravy.  If I could have gravy on my gravy, with a side of gravy, I'd be a happy camper.  When the big things in life weigh heavy, it's important to relish the small things. Sometimes you have to look hard for the blessings, sometimes they are impossible to ignore.

I always give thanks for the dogs that grace our life and come to us for foster care.  But right now I'm irritated because Ms. Layla keeps trying to hog the recliner as I write.  My laptop is a bit dodgy and her bumping it causes my screen to go all wonky.  She just wants to be close, I just want to write and my gratitude went right out the door.  Time for a gratitude check.

As they say owning it is the first step.  So here I am.  I'll start with taking a deep breath.  Breathe in, breathe out and let go.  If only I could forgive and forget as quickly as the dogs do.  They are masters of living in the moment.

So this moment I pray to be more like the dogs.  I will try not to think too hard, to be thrilled when blessings, big and small come my way.  This day I will breathe through my irritations.  This week I'll try to be gentle with myself and others.  I'll give thanks because I know others pray for lives as rich as mine. And....I'll enjoy the gravy.  Gravy that comes in the shape of family and friends, our dogs, nature, hearth, and home.