Turkey Day In the South
by James Glaser
November 26, 2009

I have been down here for a few years now, and I can't think of much difference between Thanksgiving Day in the South and those we had up North. Oh, there are the runny mashed potatoes down here, but Wanda said I couldn't write about them as they were an embarrassment, and more importantly she added, an anomaly. No, they were not Wanda's potatoes.

One difference is the fact you don't have to worry about a heavy snow over the weekend down here, and you don't need insulated boots, your parka, or choppers. Also, the survival kit in the trunk doesn't have to be renewed. Jumper cables are always good to have, but chances of your gas line freezing down here are remote, so you can leave the Heet in the garage.

I worked Wednesday, and the traffic going to Tallahassee was heavy. There were a lot of cars pulled over for speeding, but that didn't seem to slow anyone down. After work I stopped at the grocery store, and man was that place packed. Everyone seemed to be in a happy mood, and the population of Madison has increased with all the relatives coming home to a small town holiday.

Wanda and I are headed down to Saint Augustine to spend time with her two sons and their families. We are bringing a cooked ham, pecan pie, and some sort of sweet potato casserole—all of which I got to take a look at, but couldn't even sample a little bit. That part of Thanksgiving is exactly the same North and South.

Wanda and I have a lot for which to be thankful. First off, we have each other. We bought a house this year, and it has turned out to be just perfect for the two of us. We are happy, and we are well. The Lord has been good to us!

I think of all the things we have to be grateful for, and I can't help but think of all the Americans who have a loved one off in some foreign land in the service. Then there are the millions of Americans who have a loved one in prison or a hospital, and it makes me feel more and more blessed.

For me, Thanksgiving is not the start of the shopping season, but a time to reflect on the year. I always try to focus on the good things that have happened to me and pray that the coming year will be as good or better than this year.

So, North or South, it makes no difference. We all have this one day to thank the Lord for all that he has given to us. We should do that every day, but it is nice we have this national holiday to remind us to do just that.

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