Turkey...

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!

This is Dallin's last week in the missionary training center. He flies to Taiwan via LAX on my birthday next week.

Wednesday, Kevin received notice that his contract would end on Friday. We postponed our plans for celebrating 23 years of marriage and thanksgiving. It felt good to be home, and enjoy some down time (pardon the pun).

Turkey to me is a symbol of the tough times riding the unemployment trail...it just says to me "Here we go again..."

Where is my gratitude and thanksgiving spirit?

I'm thankful that I have food other than turkey to eat. Funny thing though - it is still Kevin's favorite. That's why we ate it at our wedding dinner 23 years ago on thanksgiving weekend. I'm not superstitious but there is a direct correlation between times of unemployment for us and eating turkey.

For example, Kevin canned turkey with Brother Palmer and the Calgary Third Ward gang just after we moved to Calgary in January 1990. We were blessed by being obedient to the Prophet and storing a supply of food for tough times. Most of the "layoffs" in the oil industry during the volatile 80's and 90's would happen just before Christmas and we would receive a turkey hamper from the ward and as a gift from family members. We really did appreciate the kindnesses of so many people. It was reassuring knowing that we had food to feed our family. For months we ate turkey many different ways over what seemed like eons of unemployment. I could write an entire cookbook on meals using turkey (turkey enchiladas are pretty good and so are turkey rollups).

Turkey definitely has been our "manna" in the wilderness. It really has helped us get to the promised land so many times in the past. Maybe we should eat turkey this week anyway to further our journey...

We have been having strange power outages in our home since August. Today an electrician friend kindly helped us find the problem on our electrical panel. Our main electrical breaker kept shutting down at the strangest times. Every time we used the stove - lights and power would go out. Sometimes if the toaster was plugged in and the oven was on - boom - it would happen again. One of the burners on our stove went one day when the power went out...too weird. While Kevin was canning fruit the main power switch kept going off.

Kevin and Wayne turned off all the power and checked the main breaker. The "stove" switch had a huge hole melted into it. Another house fire was prevented today - who knew! They replaced the breaker switch and we are back in business.

Kevin took the stove apart to replace damaged electrical parts - a new element, new switch, new fuse....still doesn't work. I guess we'll have to break down and call the repairman someday.

Through working on a cultural diversity assignment on South Asia, I've been reminded of the great blessings that I enjoy: stability, peace and properity in this part of the world; freedom of religion, gender parity, educational opportunities for women; shelter, food, medical care, clean running water, central heating, and a common language. How did I win the jackpot to be born in Canada rather than Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives,Nepal,Pakistan or Sri Lanka. What are my responsibilities because of the great privileges that are mine?

It's really quite easy to feel thankful. Just look around you and see the burdens that others carry. An amazing reality check that makes me thankful to pickup my own custom-made package.

Good news is just around the corner. Things will work out - they always do!