harkey thanksgiving

November 20; 8:42 pm CT

i step off the tiny plane at the airport in Monroe Louisiana. my nose recognizes the familiar stench of the paper factory, similar to the odor of a skunk. it's oddly comforting.

i am greeted my the smiling faces of my gran and grandaddy. the first thought to pop into my head is how similar my mom and gran look. it's becoming more and more apparent each year.

"hello honey," gran says, but imagine the "o" drawn out more like "haaawny." i especially like the way my grandparents say my name, "jeewyah." no one else says it the same.

as we drive to their house on island drive, they ask me about my life in the city and how i'm enjoying my new job. i gladly oblige and gush over how happy i am with where i am and what i am doing. how the Lord is blessing apostles church and how humbled i am to be in the heart of this blessing. i tell them i am learning the hardships and joys of planting a church, and that there isn't a doubt in my mind that God is going to do inconceivable things through the people of Apostles.

i tell them that i can't put into words what it means to have their support in ministry.

tradition

as far back as i can remember, we've spent thanksgiving at my gran and grandaddy's house in Louisiana. since my family on my mom's side lives in Mississippi, we all meet in the middle once a year. over time, the family has grown. i have seven younger cousins between the ages of 9 and 20. i remember them all as babies.

we look forward to this holiday with great anticipation and expectation, knowing with certainty that our traditions are waiting for us at gran and grandaddy's.



the harkeys

5 pm is open bar for the harkey's. the adults sip on martinis or g and t's and are content with sitting in the living room reading novels or working on a puzzle together. there's always a puzzle.

scrabble is a must. at least one game is played every thanksgiving. it's fun to play with auntie alison. she jokingly cusses in her quirky scottish/southern accent. my gran is the champion, a walking scrabble dictionary, but one time, one glorious thanksgiving a couple of years ago, i did beat her.





the meal

food, of course, is essential for this holiday, and we never fail to eat well and eat a lot.

one can expect a delicious smoked turkey, gran's famous dressing, auntie alison's sweet potatoes and mashed potatoes, and some good old fashion roles. it's not thanksgiving without my aunt robin's delectable chocolate cakes.

my favorite part of the meal, though, is not the food, but circling to pray before we eat. for the past few years my three cousins, megan, leah, and lorna, read a prayer that they write together. they do this on their own initiative.






football

it ain't thanksgiving without the A&M/UT game. we always watch it in gran and grandaddy's room because that's where the lazy boy's are. if you want to keep your chair, though, you have to stay in it.

for the second year in a row, A&M won.

whoop.




bonfire



a few years ago, a new tradition emerged.

on friday night, my uncle matt builds a small bonfire on the other side of the levi. we roast marshmallows.

this year, we sat around it and sang old girl scout songs and a little beatles, too. i don't know who started it, but many of us ended up in a huge dogpile, aunts and uncles included. everyone was laughing hysterically.

i'd say we're pretty close.




till next year...

i said goodbye to the family early Saturday morning, made the round of hugs, and hugged some twice.

i boarded the tiny plane in the monroe airport.

it was dark as i was flying into new york. lights of all colors, sparkled as far as i could see. peering out the window, it looked like we were soaring across a giant christmas tree.