THANKSGIVING MEMORIES

"Imagine a morning in late November. A coming of winter morning more than twenty years ago. Consider the kitchen of a spreading old house in a country town. A great black stove is its main feature; but there is also a big round table and a fireplace with two rocking chairs placed in front of it. Just today the fireplace commenced its seasonal roar." -----Truman Capote from A Christmas Memory.


As I was writing today, I tried to find the picture of a Thanksgiving kitchen bustling with activity so imprinted upon my memory. But it was not to be found--maybe some day I will find it, and be able to share with you. This picture, however, did remind me of the trip over the river and through the woods to my grandmother's house every Thanksgiving. My parents and I even sang the song as we traveled with excited anticipation of family, food, and togetherness. My grandmother could make a simple meal of garden vegetables into a luscious feast, and top it off with a chocolate pie made with homemade crust. Her dressing was made from the prized hen in the barnyard. All of this took place in that bustling Thanksgiving kitchen while the children played together, and the men discussed work and politics. Beautiful thanksgiving memories....live forever.

"Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving; let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. For the Lord is a great God." Psalm 95:1-3

Memories of Christmas

You are invited to visit me at the Delta Zeta Marketplace in Huntsville, Alabama, to be held next Friday--Sunday, November 20--22, at the Von Braun Civic Center. Hours are Friday-Saturday 9AM-6PM, Sunday noon-5 PM. Look for the Laurel Tree Booth, children's clothing boutique, and my sister's store in Huntsville.

These are just a few of the goodies that will be featured in my booth! They are reminicent of the 1950s and evoke memories of Christmas past. We appreciate your support, and hope to see you at the show! If you are not able to visit the show and are interested in any of the products, please visit the Rosemary's Garden website, or send me an e-mail.

A Sense of Time

In my study of the Jewish religion, and how it relates to the Christian faith, I am learning that there is a strong sense of historical time and recognition in the annual remembrances of Judaism. At specific times each year, historical events are not just commemorated but recreated. The chapter of Leviticus 23 explains the purpose of the Sabbath and goes on to summarize other appointed festivals of the Jewish calender. These festivals are appointed times or seasons, moments in time when the eternal, spiritual world can be glimpsed. The rituals and prayers associated with each festival, from biblical times until now, are a means to spiritual experience, ways of appropriating the significance of God's activity in the history of a people, and making it your own. The festivals also give the year a spiritual rhythm.

We are approaching the Fall Holy Days, beginning with Rosh Hashanah on September 18, the beginning of a new calender year.

A Season of Returning

Lead us back, our Father, to your Word; bring us near, our King to your service, and cause us to return in perfect repentance before you. Blessed are you, O Lord, who accepts repentance.---from the Amidah, prayers of the Jewish liturgy.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Psalm 51:10

We are entering into a season of Returning and Repentance.

The Hope in a Garden

Today while doing yard work, I noticed that a single rose had bloomed on one of my several neglected rose bushes. I have not fertilized, nurtured, or even watered the roses this year. They have been greatly abandoned by me. This has been a year when I wanted to give up gardening because everything I planted either died or withered away. A year of trying to make things happen, and they just didn't happen.

But today when I saw that rose, it reminded me that flowers still bloom when we least expect them. The promise inside a seed will produce a plant, a flower, a fruit sometimes--even when we least expect it. If a flower bloomed out of neglect and abandonment, how many more roses would my bush have produced if I had nurtured and given it lots of attention? I felt the gentle nudge of the Holy Spirit say, "Don't give up. Continue to nurture you dreams. You never know when a beautiful rose will emerge and surprise you."

Southern Advocate

Yesterday I attended an Academic Honors Convocation at UAH in Huntsville, AL where my son Joseph received two awards--one was the Outstanding Classical Studies Award and the other was the Dr. John Rison Jones Ward in Southern History sponsored by the Huntsville Madison County Historical Society. Can you tell I'm a proud Mom? Joseph is a very gifted historian and writer, and will be giving a lecture on April 15 at the Huntsville Public Library on I.D.W. Cobb, a North Alabama Confederate soldier. You may visit his blog at Southern Advocate http://southernadvocate.blogspot.com/.

April Wedding

On Friday and Saturday, I had the privilege of helping to arrange flowers for a wedding for a girl in our church. It was held in a beautiful old historical building in our city, which is rented out for special occasions. The wedding was held on Saturday, April 4; it was held at 5:00 PM, and was a cool, lovely spring evening. Here are some pictures I took after the flowers were completed; I thought you might enjoy seeing them and thanks for stopping by.