Thanksgiving Outlook

By Alan Smith
     With Thanksgiving approaching in a couple of weeks, I thought you would enjoy this excerpt from a book entitled, "Weather Prognosticators and the Media: Fallacies, Facts, and Fun in Forecasting" by Norm MacDonald:
    "Turkeys will thaw in the morning, then warm in the oven to an afternoon high near 190 F.  The kitchen will turn hot and humid, and if you bother the cook, be ready for a severe squall or cold shoulder.
     "During the late afternoon and evening, the cold front of a knife will slice through the turkey, causing an accumulation of one to two inches on plates.  Mashed potatoes will drift across one side while cranberry sauce creates slippery spots on the other.  Please pass the gravy.
     "A weight watch and indigestion warning have been issued for the entire area, with increased stuffiness around the beltway.  During the evening, the turkey will diminish and taper off to leftovers, dropping to a low of 34 F in the refrigerator.
     "Looking ahead to Friday and Saturday, high pressure to eat sandwiches will be established.  Flurries of leftovers can be expected both days with a 50 percent chance of scattered soup late in the day.  We expect a warming trend where soup develops.  By early next week, eating pressure will be low as the only wish left will be the bone."
     While many of us in the United States will be enjoying a delicious feast in a couple of weeks, may our outlook truly be one of thanksgiving.  May we be reminded once again of the source of our bountiful blessings.  I love the cartoon that shows a bewildered-looking fellow sitting at a Thanksgiving table loaded down with turkey, dressing, hot rolls, and all the trimmings. The caption reads: "Alvin the atheist realized he was at his lowest point, for he felt grateful but had no one to thank."
     We do have someone to thank.  May we do it not only on Thanksgiving but every day with hearts overflowing with gratitude.
     "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." (James 1:17)
     "Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving..." (Psalm 95:2)
     Have a great day!

- Alan Smith, author of the popular "Thought For Today," and minister for the Helen Street church of Christ in Fayetteville, NC, may be contacted at alansmith.servant@gmail.com