How Badly Do You Want a Turkey?

Encore of my blog post in 2015. 

“Hold the plucked bird over the gas flame of the stovetop to remove the remaining fuzz on the flesh.” Disgusting. 

Imagine Thanksgiving without a turkey! Our problem loomed larger with every passing day. Keep in mind, the world beyond America feeds and fattens turkeys for December, not November. This challenge called for creativity. 

Determined to avoid a turkey-less Thanksgiving, we bundled up and drove downtown Warsaw to the outdoor Farmers’ Market to negotiate an early turkey. Trudging through the stalls, we located a semi-friendly vendor who cautiously agreed to do business. In rudimentary Polish, we arranged to collect a turkey in time for our Thanksgiving holiday. To guarantee the transaction, we paid in advance and set a date to return.

The week of Thanksgiving, Larry and I returned expectantly to collect our purchase. Dodging puddles, we shoved past shoppers and merchants, and schlepped down the narrow concrete aisle of the make-do shelter where villagers came to sell their wares. Past the pickle barrels, past the potato bins, past the slabs of hanging pork, we eventually reached our vendor near the end of the row of stalls. 

Oh my! Our agreement sat, ready and waiting.  Shabbily wrapped in pieces of old newspaper, our pitiful, scrawny bird waited for us. Oh - it was dead - but barely. Minus the head, “the rest” remained as our homework. What would U.S.D.A. think of this? (Not to mention CDC.)

Reluctantly, we collected our prize, placed him in the trunk of our yellow Fiat, and drove him home to begin the process of making him presentable, and yes…edible. 

Hold the plucked bird over the gas flame of the stovetop to remove the remaining fuzz on the flesh. Somewhere, someone offered this suggestion. Before long, the singed odor permeated every crack and crevice of our small home, and my appetite for our upcoming feast steadily waned. 

When we gathered around the dining room table on Thanksgiving Day, the disgusting ordeal stayed with me. The End Product sat on the platter, but my mind served up pictures of its own. I nearly gagged at the technicolor memory of that nasty bird on the newspaper at the market, riding in the trunk of our car, and hanging over the flame in our kitchen. I choked down my portion and politely refused seconds. I was thankful all right, very thankful, to be done. 

Another year passed, and once again, the Thanksgiving turkey posed a problem. My memories of the previous disgusting ordeal still weighed heavily on my spirit. Yet with no other options, we went through the same drill, and reserved another turkey at the Farmers’ Market. 

In the surge of life, I paid little attention to the upcoming raffle at David’s kindergarten.

...Something being given away? ... a turkey? How nice... Did you say, "An American Butterball from the Embassy’s forbidden-to-outsiders Commissary?" Oh sure, we will buy a couple of tickets. Why not? I’ll even pray, “Lord, please let us win the Butterball. Please.”

And then...

       few days later ...

                 on the street... 

                           outside a Warsaw restaurant...

“Debby, Debby, I am looking for you!” In the din of noisy buses and trams, I barely heard my name over the roar as Sandra (David's teacher) jumped out of the taxi, and frantically came running to greet me. Clutching my children in the confusion and chaos of traffic, I wondered why she was so animated, and why the search for me. Sandra wasted no time in making her point.

“We just finished the drawing, and guess what! You won! Your family won the prize of the American Butterball Turkey!” 

The American Butterball Turkey. Did she say we won? No. No way! In utter amazement, I asked, "How could this possibly be happening?" 

Shock gave way to overwhelming gratitude as it dawned on me that God actually heard my prayer. He genuinely cared about such an insignificant matter as a turkey. 

Holiday preparation differed drastically from the year previous. Rich aromas of this buttery baking beauty wafted in stark contrast to the previous bird's smell of singed flesh. We relished each peek into the tiny communist oven - which was nearly too small to house the trophy. 

Once baked to perfection and sitting on a platter, we took photos standing around our roasted royalty. Carving the mega monster 14-pound turkey was ceremonial. The festive atmosphere continued as second and even third portions were consumed. What a feast!

Yet, amidst the excitement, I experienced an overwhelming sense of gratitude; this turkey was a gift from God. 

The Words of Psalm 34:4 seemed written just for me: “Delight yourself in The Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” On a Thanksgiving Day decades ago, Disgust gave way to Delight. Ironic - God used a turkey to teach me so much. 

Sweet Potato Soufflé Recipe

Much more than a recipe - a memory

Thanksgiving was just around the corner, and so was a proposal. But I did not know that! Desperately in love with a Mississippi State football player two years my junior and 242 miles away, I counted the days until we shared the holiday. It was 1972. He brought a request; I brought a recipe – both have stood the test of time. The recipe follows, with my adaptations.

                                                     Sweet Potato Soufflé 
Ingredients:
2 cups baked and mashed sweet potatoes (I recommend 6 potatoes)
½ stick butter (1 stick)
1 c. white sugar
5 oz. can of Carnation evaporated milk
2 eggs (I suggest 4)
½ t. nutmeg
½ t. cinnamon (I use 1t.)
1 t. vanilla (I prefer 1 T.)
1 t. imitation butter flavoring
¼ t. salt 

Topping:
¾ c. crushed cornflakes
½ c. chopped pecans (3/4 c.)
½ c. light brown sugar
½ stick melted butter

Instructions Part 1:
Bake and mash the sweet potatoes. 
Push through a strainer to remove any lumps. 
Add butter and butter flavoring to warm potatoes.
Stir in canned milk.
Separately, add spices and salt to the sugar. Stir.
Beat eggs and add to sugar mixture. Mix.
Combine all ingredients, and mix well with a mixer. 
Spoon into a greased 9x11 casserole dish.

Instructions Part 2:
Combine topping ingredients of light brown sugar, cornflakes, pecans, and butter. Mix well with a fork. 
Sprinkle topping over sweet potato dish. 
Bake 30 minutes at 350-400 degrees. 
Check and cover with foil if topping is getting too brown. 
Extend cooking, if necessary, until heated through. 

Sideboard: 
Make ahead and freeze without the topping. In this case, add the topping at time of baking.
Your guests just might consider this a dessert.

Credit:
I am grateful to Laurie Lorenzen for making this recipe available to me in 1972, my first year on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ.

Question: Will you please let me know if this recipe sets the stage for a proposal?

Who Qualifies for Gratitude?

From her passenger seat in the front of the car, my friend turned backwards and placed a present into my hand. Her thoughtfulness touched me, and yes, the Bolesławiec pottery pitcher found a prominent place in my kitchen.

But this is not about her gift; this is about her card. The small orange card with white lettering, tucked inside the bag, silently proclaimed a life-changing message: Gratitude turns what we have into enough.

Now the card stands on my desk; I read it, I mulch it, I meditate over it. When I leave my desk, this message goes with me as my mental companion.

How can such a small thought produce such amazing results?  I believe several realities emerge:

Gratitude turns what we have into enough.

Control

I can control this! For once, control is a good thing. Normally, the obsession to control others, circumstances, outcomes and events pours poison into the river of life. You and I drink the contaminated water without even realizing what we are doing to ourselves.

Here, though, with gratitude, we release the compulsion to control others. Instead, we decide to control the internal needle within the confines of ourselves. Boundaries blocking blessings collapse; access to joy and contentment follow suit. This is possible, because it is my choice to choose gratitude. The power to choose becomes huge.

 Gratitude turns what we have into enough.

Transformation

This is not a formula; this is a decision. A mystery exits here, and definition of the wonder eludes this writer. However, I do know gratitude is available to me in every situation, in every relationship - not just in every season of life, but every day of life. From the muck and mire of disappointment, I can step onto the solid ground of contentment. More, better, different, and other morph into enough when gratitude is the conscious choice.

No, gratitude does not ignore the pain; it makes a path through the pain. Gratitude does not dismiss the dilemma; it determines to live in the midst of the dilemma.

For me, it worked like this when:

· The group gathered did not include everyone I hoped for. Choosing gratitude brought joy with those present rather than destructive discouragement regarding those not present.

· The visit seemed totally ruined. My Mother was sick the majority of her two weeks with us. Choosing gratitude made room for a different perspective – as a new widow she was not home alone battling a terrible virus.

Gratitude turns what we have into enough.

Caution

This is not, “Oh well; whatever.” This is not a stiff upper lip that breathes air from the resources of self, and marches forward in martyrdom. No, not at all. Gratitude is a spiritual paradox.

On this one, science agrees with God!

Here are 7 scientifically proven benefits: 

1.    Gratitude opens the door to more relationships. Not only does saying “thank you” constitute good manners, but showing appreciation can help you win new friends, according to a 2014 study published in Emotion. The study found that thanking a new acquaintance makes them more likely to seek an ongoing relationship. So whether you thank a stranger for holding the door or send a thank-you note to that colleague who helped you with a project, acknowledging other people’s contributions can lead to new opportunities.

2.    Gratitude improves physical health. Grateful people experience fewer aches and pains and report feeling healthier than other people, according to a 2012 study published in Personality and Individual Differences. Not surprisingly, grateful people are also more likely to take care of their health. They exercise more often and are more likely to attend regular check-ups, which is likely to contribute to further longevity.

3.    Gratitude improves psychological health. Gratitude reduces a multitude of toxic emotions, from envy and resentment to frustration and regret. Robert Emmons, a leading gratitude researcher, has conducted multiple studies on the link between gratitude and well-being. His research confirms that gratitude effectively increases happiness and reduces depression.

4.    Gratitude enhances empathy and reduces aggression. Grateful people are more likely to behave in a prosocial manner, even when others behave less kindly, according to a 2012 study by the University of Kentucky. Study participants who ranked higher on gratitude scales were less likely to retaliate against others, even when given negative feedback. They experienced more sensitivity and empathy toward other people and a decreased desire to seek revenge.

5.    Grateful people sleep better. Writing in a gratitude journal improves sleep, according to a 2011 study published in Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being. Spend just 15 minutes jotting down a few grateful sentiments before bed, and you may sleep better and longer.

6.    Gratitude improves self-esteem. A 2014 study published in the Journal of Applied Sport Psychology found that gratitude increased athletes’ self-esteem, an essential component to optimal performance. Other studies have shown that gratitude reduces social comparisons. Rather than becoming resentful toward people who have more money or better jobs—a major factor in reduced self-esteem—grateful people are able to appreciate other people’s accomplishments.

7.    Gratitude increases mental strength. For years, research has shown gratitude not only reduces stress, but it may also play a major role in overcoming trauma. A 2006 study published in Behavior Research and Therapy found that Vietnam War veterans with higher levels of gratitude experienced lower rates of post-traumatic stress disorder. A 2003 study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that gratitude was a major contributor to resilience following the terrorist attacks on September 11. Recognizing all that you have to be thankful for —even during the worst times—fosters resilience.

Thank you, Alicja. The pitcher you gave me brought joy; the card brought transformation.

Question: Where in your life is there opportunity for gratitude to turn what you have into enough?