Celebrate With an Original Thanksgiving Dinner

Good Wednesday morning!

The Gallery Pics are a few hodge-podge shots. Anyone wanting a picture with my giant Santa Penguin needs to make an appointment. I'll be glad to oblige!

Top Ten Things I'm Thankful For This Year

I am thankful for...

1. God. The older I become, the more I want to strive for a closer and more personal relationship with God, my Father. I'm thankful for ministers, churches, books and countless resources which make this so much easier in America than many other places in the world.

2. Mikie. I try not to take him for granted, but I know that sometimes I do. This is the year I will strive to take the time to be thankful for the Christian husband and dad he is each and every day. Twenty-two (almost 23) years have come and gone so quickly, but I KNOW I married the man God had planned for me. It has been an honor to be his wife.

3. Austin. I'm thankful he loves college. I'm even more thankful he loves to come home. Nineteen years have come and gone so quickly, but I'm so, so thankful I've been blessed to have a front-row seat to watch the little boy become a fine, Christian young man. It has been an honor to be his Mom.

4. Josh. I'm thankful he has never given up during times of extreme adversity and illness. He is the main reason I've been able to keep going many days. While it is not a journey I would EVER have chosen for one of my children, he continues to get up each and every day to face and overcome obstacles I can only imagine. In many ways, he is my hero. Seventeen years have come and gone so quickly, but Josh has taught me to live one day at a time, to look for something good in sometimes hopeless situations and to turn to God... over and over and over again. It has been an honor to be his Mom.

5. Roxie. I'm thankful for this chick. I'm thankful for her fire, sassiness, sweetness, style, focus and dedication. She is NOT a "little Belinda." I'm not sure where her personality comes from, but it brings me so much joy... for the most part! Fourteen years have come and gone so quickly, and while I miss the little girl, I'm loving the young lady I see growing up in front of my very eyes. It has been an honor to be her Mom.

In order to keep this post under 20,000 words, I will share the last five "things" tomorrow morning.

Wednesday Wisdom - I'm using more quotes from Rev. Billy Graham today. I wish I could share them all, but as you can imagine, there are just too many good ones.

The highest form of worship is the worship of unselfish Christian service. The greatest form of praise is the sound of consecrated feet seeking out the lost and helpless.

The word "romance," according to the dictionary, means excitement, adventure, and something extremely real. Romance should last a lifetime.

When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, all is lost.

You're born. You suffer. You die. Fortunately, there's a loophole. (I love loopholes!)

Celebrate With an Original Thanksgiving Dinner

Did you know the first Thanksgiving dinner may or may not have had turkey on the menu? However, that's not the only surprising thing about the original Thanksgiving dinner menu. Read on.

I'm not saying to do away with your traditional Thanksgiving Day dinner. No, sir. But wouldn't it be fun to add a couple of surprise dishes that really were served on that first Thanksgiving Day? Here are some fun facts to share with your family about what really happened.

The only written eyewitness account of the first Thanksgiving dinner was a letter written by a colonist, Edward Winslow, to his friend in England in late 1621.

Foods That Were Not Served at the First Thanksgiving

1. Turkey - Turkey was often eaten by both the Wampanoag and the Pilgrims, but it was not specifically mentioned in Winslows’ letter. The account mentions “wild fowl,” and could have referred to duck or geese instead of wild turkey.

2. Popcorn - There was no popcorn, corn was prevalent but was not popped.

3. Cranberry Sauce - Fifty years AFTER 1621 there is mention of a cranberry sauce for use with meat in English recipes.

4. Potatoes - White potatoes were virtually unknown in England at the time of the Thanksgiving feast. They were only raised by specialized botanists at the time, and were not a part of the English diet. Sweet potatoes were imported into England from Spain, and were used only by the ultra wealthy.

5. Pumpkin Pie - There were no readily available ingredients for the crust of a pumpkin pie at the time. Pumpkin and squash were included in the feast, but served as vegetables only. After 1621, pumpkin dessert recipes included pumpkin pieces sliced similar to apples only.

6. Apples - Apples were not present in 1621 in Plymouth.

Foods Included in the Original Thanksgiving Feast

In addition to the wild fowl, pumpkin and squash mentioned above, the following foods were certainly abundant and most likely were included in the “harvest” celebration:

1. Lobsters (How surprised would your family be if you prepared a lobster?)

2. Eel (Same question as above.)

3. Oysters

4. Parsnips (You've got to be kidding me!)

5. Collards

6. Turnips

7. Spinach

8. Onions

9. Dried Beans

10. Dried Blueberries

11. Grapes

12. Nuts

I borrowed these facts from www.suite101.com.

Have a fun Wednesday as you get ready for your Thanksgiving celebrations tomorrow. Today is still Encouraging Wednesday. Remember there are many, many people around you who are struggling and need a kind word or deed... ESPECIALLY during this holiday season. Take a little time to love on someone who needs it today. I'll have a date and Blog Linkage bright and early Thursday morning. It will be a busy day, but if you have a chance, visit A Simple Life for a few minutes.

Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda