Food, Family, Friends and Fellowship

My brother called last Thursday morning to wish me a happy Thanksgiving and inquire if I had plans. More on the plans in a few paragraphs, but we somehow got on the subject of foods eaten during our childhood. The not-good-for-us foods. My brother didn’t remember the Velveeta macaroni and cheese mom and dad made from scratch during lent and his better half bellowed a big “Ewww” when I recounted how dad made fried-in-butter bologna sandwiches on Wonder cardboard white bread. I loved both.

All of us in the United States have since survived the holiday with family and/or friends and its many offerings.

Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, family news, political opinions, polite deflection, football, etc. Oh, and the macaroni and cheese, which mom and dad never made as a side dish during the holidays. It wasn’t their “thing” and it took me a few decades to realize that this is a traditional Thanksgiving side dish for many others.

Hmmm…I would rather focus on stuffing.

The typical food menu is why many people choose to wear loose clothing. So they can eat and breathe.

The typical fellowship of these gatherings can take on many forms, but I choose to believe the higher percentage of them are heartfelt, peaceful and nap-inducing. Maybe a few loud comments over a football or board game, but otherwise a happy time.

I stayed home this Thanksgiving. Baked cookies, ate steak, and welcomed girlfriend Natasha late afternoon for adult refreshment, snack foods and two rousing games of Bananagrams. I didn’t completely stuff my face, but the stretchy pants were there “just in case” and for general comfort. We had a good time – chatting, laughing, and professing that we really, really like each other.

Food is wonderful, we need it to physically survive and most of it is yummy and satisfying. Fellowship is also a good thing, needed to survive spiritually and feel part of a community, whether it consists of only a few friends, a large family, or something in between.

When the two are combined, it can make for special moments.

Breakfast between friends who compare recent vacations and talk of furry beings.

Lunch with former co-workers, who make it okay to talk stupid and laugh over things no one else would understand.

Dinner with family and the few glasses of wine that allow everyone to keep the conversations going late into the night.

Gatherings that celebrate fellowship in marriage, in work accomplishments, in retirement, and community events.

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, with fellowship and food, and if not a citizen of the United States, that you are enjoying the weeks leading up to Christmas with meals, sweet desserts and your people. The next four weeks are a busy time for us all with gift shopping, meal planning, holiday parties and stressing about getting it all done in time. Although I am a bit behind in cookie baking and cleaning the mess that is my apartment, I am looking forward to the month of December and the many opportunities for food and fellowship. From shopping with church peeps for needy families this Saturday, to a Christmas round robin with close friends a week later, to welcoming brother and his better half for almost five days to visit, eat good food, find a few microbreweries, open gifts and search out Christmas lights and decorations.

So, my blogging friends, take time to enjoy the four “F’s” and relax in the coming weeks.

Share a dish of macaroni and cheese with a friend.

Forget the fried bologna and be in community at the gym.

Pick an afternoon to shop and “wine” with a few special co-workers.

Invite the neighbor over for social communion and steak on the grill.

It’s no time like the present to enjoy what and who makes us happy and on that note, I must end this and tend to the next batch of goodies on the baking list.

Soft and chewy ginger cookies.

Yum, one of my favorites. Right out of the freezer. It’s food, people!

You can have one (virtually) if you leave a short paragraph about your favorite food, favorite person/people, or a community event during Christmas you cannot do without. Or blog about it because, after all, we are a fellowship of bloggers who like to eat. Right?