My mom makes the best pies.
She only makes them for Thanksgiving and it’s a race for many of us to grab that dollop of meringue off the lemon pie first. Yeah, it’s that good. And yes, even as grown children, there is still the competitive sneakiness of children slipping a cookie out of the cookie jar.
It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without mom’s pie.
While I go home often to help on the farm and visit with family, this year will be the first in many years I’ve gotten to go home for Thanksgiving Day. I’m looking forward to Mom’s pies. Lemon is my favorite. More so, however, I’m looking forward to treating my parents to dinner.
You see, my husband and I will prepare the feast this year.
It’s the least I can do after all the things they have done for me.
These are the people God chose to bring me into this world, the people who gave up wants in their own lives to make sure I had what I needed. They taught me to work hard and respect others, and instilled in me the values I hold dear.
All these things, I now teach and mentor to my own children.
While so many of us are out making lists of all the blessings and shouting them out on social media daily, I think of my family and how they make me feel whole. My parents aren’t ones for social media, so they’ll never see the posts I put there about what a blessing it is to be their daughter.
There are so many ways we can show a bit of gratitude to those we love beyond a worded message. Like preparing your family’s meal and making time to spend together.
So many things on this earth will last well beyond our years, but we have only a short time to share our lives with others. I see my parents as a blessing every day. I’ve grown to appreciate their presence in my life more so now than ever before, and I am grateful for the time we have together.
As you prepare for this upcoming holiday, please remember to honor those you love, mentor the generations to come, and appreciate the gifts you have been given.
Just like my mom’s pie, they come in a limited quantity.
Feature image credit Stefan Klopp via Flickr Creative Commons
