We Can Buy All Sorts Of Potatoes!

I am posting super late today for many reasons. I am so thankful for all of them, but here are two.

I am thankful for the high price of airfare, the long lines for security at the airport, and even the luggage that occasionally gets lost en route. The "inconveniences" we experience in traveling allow us to see people who live all over the country and world more than once or twice in our lives.

This week, all the combined problems of airports and airplanes brought me three days with two of my favorite people, Ashley and John. They recently moved from Virginia to California, but came back thousands of miles for a visit. This allowed Ashley and I to engage in our favorite holiday tradition: writing to Santa.
I'm also thankful for huge corporations like Wal-Mart. I am thankful for the miles of crowded parking, the packed stores with tired faces, and the cheap wares they lure me into buying.

When I stopped there today for last-minute ingredients for tomorrow's Thanksgiving feast, I saw families carefully checking their shopping lists and counting out their dimes and quarters at the cash register.

Because of places like Wal-Mart, families who are struggling to pay their bills will still be able to celebrate the things they do have with a traditional meal. And what's even better? Because of all those "cheap wares," we can celebrate with whatever tradition we grew up with because we have choices. So while my friends grew up eating mashed potatoes (they're buying russet), I grew up eating roasted potatoes... so I'm buying red baby potatoes. That's kind of amazing if you think about it.

I sound cheesy. Okay, fine. But cheesy or not, I'm taking time this holiday to see which of my "problems" might actually be symptoms of blessing and bounty.

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving if you celebrate, and a great Thursday if you don't.