Remember to always be thankful
By By Michelle Blaylock, Mom’s Corner
With Thanksgiving being just around the corner, I began to think about being thankful. I remember a story my daddy told me about my grandfather.
When my grandfather was a young boy, his father ran off one fall. He left a wife and nine young children without any money and only oats and sweet potatoes to eat. There was not any milk, sugar, honey or anything else except water. They did have a wood stove and wood available for cooking and heat. For an entire winter they ate nothing but the sweet potatoes and oats twice a day. They fixed them everyway they could think to fix them. Sixty years later, my grandfather would still not eat oats. He did eventually eat sweet potatoes occasionally, but would not touch oats.
When I think about things like these it changes my perspective on being thankful. Can you imagine how thankful the Pilgrim women would have been to have the modern conveniences of today? Even the settlers of the 1800s would have been tickled to have what we have! Imagine their delight at walking into a Wal-Mart!
I love to cook from “scratch,” but when I’m in a hurry I like being able to open that can, too! Pilgrims didn’t have that choice. What about their kitchens? Personally, I’d rather be living now! I like my kitchen appliances and my running water that isn’t contaminated with all sorts of nasty things. I also like being able to go to my refrigerator and pull out a gallon of milk, instead of having to go milk a cow!
I often wondered what Pilgrim women would think about things like the modern day stove, dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, and electricity. They would probably consider our lives a life of leisure.
Have you ever read the “Little House on the Prairie” books? I love them. I remember reading one when I was young and it mentioned something about how many dresses Laura had. I believe she only had three; two for everyday wear and one for church or special occasions. Of course, if I had to hand sew all of my children’s, husband’s and my clothes, we would have a fewer clothes (a whole bunch fewer clothes!) They usually only washed once a week. Again, think about how they had to wash their clothes. The water had to be pumped or drawn from the well, and then it had to be heated on the wood stove. Did I mention carrying the wood or starting the fire in the stove? How about scrubbing the clothes on the wash board? Every time I think of this, I feel very fortunate to have a washer and dryer!
There are many things I find I am thankful for. I find I’m thankful for “big” things like my children, husband, friends, family, our church family, home, vehicles, and our health. There are little things to be thankful for too!
In our family, I find myself being thankful for a complete night’s sleep. (It doesn’t come very often.) I’m thankful every morning that the kids’ shoes didn’t “disappear” overnight. I find I’m thankful when my kids remember their chores. Let me rephrase that. What I should say is that I’m thankful when my kids remember to do their chores. I’m fairly sure they remember they have chores, they just forget to do them! I think it’s become too easy to complain. We are constantly bombarded by things we “need” or should have. How about those “you just can’t live without this new gadget” commercials? They drive me nuts.
I hope you take time this year to be truly thankful for the blessings God has given you. If you have a question, comment or suggestion for Mom’s Corner, e-mail it to: moms-corner@juno.com.
