A Slice of Pumpkin Pie

We wait 365 days for that specific day to come. We count down in anticipation and wait excitedly until that morning comes.

There's nothing like the holidays and one of my favorites is definitely Thanksgiving. It's funny that such a great tradition started with a simple letter. A random lady sent a letter to the president one day requesting a national holiday for giving thanks. Five presidents and 5 letters later, Abraham Lincoln consented to this lady's request and created a national holiday.

I won't be having turkey this year and I won't be sitting around the table with family and stuffing myself until I can't take no more before eating one last piece of pumpkin pie, but I will still be giving thanks.

One of the biggest things I brought back with me from South Africa is guilt. In the words of Reg Codrington, or actually in a paraphrase of the words of Reg Codrington, guilt is pointless if it does not lead to action. You can be guilty all you want, but if you don't do anything about it then you're just going to keep feeling miserable with no purpose. If you feel guilty and then use that guilt to motivate you into action, you'd be surprised at the results.

I feel guilty every time I stuff myself with a meal I know the kids in Haniville are longing to have. I feel guilty when I pack for a trip and can't fit all my clothes in a duffel bag because I know some people wouldn't even fill one bag with all their belongings. I feel guilty every time I get a paycheck because, even though I'm only middle class in the United States, I know I am in the top percentage of rich people in comparison to the rest of the world.

I'm going to Mexico this thanksgiving to work with a church and interpret for my mission team. I hope that even if it is just a simple 3 days, it will mean something. I hope that no matter how selfish I am in wanting to ease my guilt and in how incompetent I am in fully showing love to people, God will see something good in me. I am thankful for every day, every meal, and every penny. I am thankful that God loves me like he loves the kids in Haniville and I am thankful that he sees past my imperfections and considers me beautiful. That's all I need.