The Harvest of Thanks

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. There is no pressure for the perfect gift, it isn't about one single person, it is just a celebration of thanks.

The food, friends, family all combine to make Thanksgiving a special time.

As I have grown older, my Thanksgiving celebrations have changed. Since, moving to Florida I have always had to work the day after Thanksgiving, so travelling to Georgia has been out of the question. Now, I celebrate this special holiday with my Florida family, a collection of friends who have blessed my life in unimagined ways.

It is sad not to be with my family in Georgia on this holiday, but I know that they hold a special place in their hearts for me as they sit to enjoy the harvest of love they feast on at Thanksgiving.

As much as I loved those Thanksgiving celebrations in God's Country before moving to Florida, and as much as I love the ones I take part in here, my favorite Thanksgiving memories are from my early childhood, in a place called Rochelle, Ga.

Rochelle, is a tiny town in south-western Georgia, approximately 60 miles from Macon. Not much happens in Rochelle, it is an agriculture community that thrives on pecan fields. Rochelle is where we lived the first year of my life.

We moved away from Rochelle, before my first birthday, but it has always held a special place in our hearts.

During our time in Rochelle, our family became part of a close-knit circle of friends the Hudsons, the Horns, the Mashburns, Whitworths, Conners, Reeds and others, an extended family much like the one I have created in Florida.

We had a special bond with the Hudsons, Newt, Gracie, Randy, Dixie and Suzanne.

For years after moving to God's Country, we would travel to Rochelle for Thanksgiving. Mama and daddy would pack up the car after school let out on Wednesday and we would travel into the night to our friend's in south-Georgia. A standing invitation was held for us at Newt and Gracie's house and we would revel in being there.

Newt was the County Extension Director and later became a State Legislator. Randy, their son, is the splitting image of his father in personality and actions.

Gracie was a combination of Paula Deen and Rose Kennedy. The loud, hilarious, protective matriarch of the family. Dixie is as much like Gracie as anyone could imagine.

Suzanne, the perfect combination of her father's quite dignity and her mother's rambunctious zest for life.

To me, Gracie was the funniest, kindest, most loving person I have ever known. She had an infectious laugh that would echo through the house, a love that was as poignant one on one as in a crowd, and a simple elegance that would capture every eye when she walked into a room.

Arriving in Rochelle for Thanksgiving meant one thing.... joy! Unbridled joy!

We would drive up to the Hudson house late into the evening and be engulfed in hugs, kisses and laughter that would last long past the time we returned to God's Country.

Without delay preparations would begin for the Harvest of Thanks that would be presented the next day. A table filled with turkey, ham, beef, fish, vegetables, salads, cakes and pies of every combination and most of all love.

My favorite memories of Gracie have nothing to do with the meal preparation, but special times sharing the bench of her organ, laughing and singing to her concert that in my mind was performed just for me.

Located in the den of the house was Gracie's organ, no music in sight, but the most important piece of furniture in their house in my young mind.

To this day, I recall asking repeatedly "Gracie, will you play the organ for me?" After some simple coaxing, she would always pull off her apron, take me by the hand, place me on the bench along side her and begin to play. Gracie played by ear, and in my mind she performed like the best of the best at Carnegie Hall.

I would sit along side Gracie and the rest of the family would join us in the den. She would play, she would sing, she would laugh and we would all join in. Those moments spent with Gracie are some of the most treasured of my life, I will never forget that time for as long as I live.

Mama and Gracie would continue preparations for the feast long into the night. Potatoes peeled, oranges crushed, cakes baked and a continuous round of basting the turkey throughout the night, this was a meal prepared with love for all those who would sit together the following day.

After a long night, preparations would again begin early in the morning. After a full breakfast, daddy, Newt, Tom, Sam and Randy would make their way to the Hudson's farm, a sprawling pecan orchard with grazing cows and catfish ponds. I stayed behind, tugging on Gracie's apron strings just enjoying the time with this lady I loved so much.

By lunchtime, the house was filled with all the other families who had been a part of our life in Rochelle. Providing their own dishes, there was easily enough food for the entire state and more laughter in one confined place than should be allowed.

We would gather together as time for the feast approached and Newt would lead us in prayer. All holding hands, families intermingled.... an extended family of love.

A Harvest of Thanks!

I treasure those times in Rochelle, the memories of those days still impact me some 30 years later.

As I grew older we didn't travel to Rochelle for Thanksgiving anymore. Ma-ma and Gramps were getting older and it was important for us to stay closer to God's Country, but that extended family still holds a special place in my heart.

We lost Gracie a few years back, I had not seen her in many years when she died and I regret that, but I know she loved me and I know she knew I loved her. She will always hold a special place in my heart and I look forward to sitting at her side again some day as she serenades the angels in heaven on her organ.

Yes, Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday, a time to tell those important to you that they are loved.... a time to give thanks!

Short Notes..... Rabun Cross

I received an email this week regarding my story on The Shining Cross. The email included a link to the website Rabun Cross. If you would like more information on the cross, the story of the cross or to see additional photos, check it out, it really is spectacular.

Daddy's Little Girl

Like most kids, I had pets of all kinds growing up. You have read about my dog Andy, I also had "Duke", "Jip" and Sam had "Rowdy."

We had the occasional fish, craw fish and lightening bug, we once had a parakeet.

When I went away to college, I got a goldfish "Goldie Hawn" my Junior year and kept it alive until I graduated, a feat unto itself, but somehow I was able to keep it alive.

After Goldie Hawn, I went many years without a pet. With my tendency to move frequently and my 20 something life-style, it is probably a good thing that I didn't take on the responsibility of a pet.

As I began to settle down, I started thinking about a pet. Since I lived in a condo a cat was the most logical choice, but I hate cats, so that was out of the question. I continued pet-less until I moved into my home.

After moving into my house, I got the itch for a pet again, I knew what I wanted.... a dog.

As I was researching breeds, I set up some ground rules for what I wanted.....

• No female
• No sissy dog
• No pet store

With my rules set, I continued my research. One Saturday afternoon, I was out running errands when I ended up in a strip center with a few minutes to kill. Deciding that some hands-on pet research would do me good, I wandered into the pet store, just to look!

I made it clear to the salesperson when she asked if she could help me that I was not there to buy, I was ONLY LOOKING!

Out of the corner of my eye, a cute little bundle of black and white mischief got my attention. I was drawn over to the pen that little fur ball was housed in and reached in to pet the tiny pup.

With the horns blaring and big neon sign flashing "SUCKER ALERT" over my head, the salesperson rushed over and placed that little girl right in my arms.

Needless to say, after a few minutes of play, I knew this FEMALE, SISSY BREED, FROM A PET STORE dog was going home with me.

With a long breath, I told the attendant, give her a bath and I will be back in one hour, I need that much time to talk myself out of this purchase.

No sooner had I gotten into my car than I was dialing my neighbors, I knew both of the calls I was going to make would help bring me to my senses and leave this puppy in the pet store where she belonged.

First call was Leigh, I knew Leigh would tell me I was an idiot for even thinking about this. UUUMMMMM, no, Leigh thought it was a great idea, I needed a cute little puppy and she would even babysit when I needed her to.

Ok, strike out with Leigh, but a call to Wendy would certainly do the trick. Wendy is the neighbor who doesn't mince words, she will tell me quickly that I am not responsible enough to have a dog, I know Wendy will talk me out of it. UUUMMMMM, no, Wendy couldn't encourage me more, she thought a puppy was exactly what I needed.

So I ended up with this cute little pup, she came home with me that day and has been here ever since.

Rosalita "Lita" Grace quickly took control of our residence on day one and hasn't let up since. I remember before I had a dog I used to think people were unstable when they would talk about their dogs like they were children. Now I completely understand it.

Lita is the light of my life. There is not a day that goes by that she doesn't make me laugh. When she curls up into the small of my back at night for sleep a sense of peace comes over me at the end of a long day. I can't go from one room to the other that she doesn't follow me and our nightly game of fetch is a highlight for me.

It's funny, I realized many years ago that I would never have children, but I didn't realize until I adopted Lita that I could love anything as much as I do her. Dog love is different that people love, I get that, but the love I have for this furry little girl is incredibly strong.

Lita is the one thing on this earth that is totally dependant on me, I take that responsibility seriously.

In a few weeks we will celebrate Lita's third birthday, there won't be a party or anything that silly, but she and I will celebrate. She will get a new toy and a special treat, just to mark the impact she has had on my life.

Lita is my little girl, she is prissy and she is the queen of this castle. I love her and can't imagine life without her.

Short Notes.... Fall Splendor

Why do I call it God's Country?

Take a look at the video....

Fall Splendor

Thanks to my brother, Sam for sending this to me.

Run Lindsay, Run!

Well, my beloved Georgia Bulldogs suffered another massacre at the hands of the Florida Crocodiles yesterday, the planets are out of line and darkness descends on the earth..... these are sad, sad days!

Unfortunately for the better part of the last 15 years, these dark days have haunted our land as those nasty, ugly crocks have chomped down on our beautiful DAWGS and sent us home in defeat.

If this scourge continues, it won't be long before locust devour our fields and volcanoes erupt, covering our planet in orange lava...... those reptiles must be stopped!

It wasn't always this way, years ago, ok let me be honest, DECADES ago, we lived in a better time. A time when the red and black ruled supreme, when the world's largest cocktail party really was something to revel in, a time when the DAWGS were on top and those pesky crocodiles were just another pesky step on our way to College Football supremacy. Ahhh, I remember it well.......

Remember it with me, won't you.... a time when milk and honey were in abundance, when life was good, when a lizard knew its place and didn't pose a threat to a rough and tough bulldog, those were the days my friends!

Picture it, November 8, 1980 and the Georgia Bulldogs are mid-way through an undefeated season. Led by Herschel Walker, Buck Belue and a pack of others, the Dawgs make their way to Jacksonville, FL for the annual clash of states, the Georgia-Florida classic known as the "World's Largest Cocktail Party."

I settled into the living room with mama and daddy to watch the game on CBS. We knew that the lizards would be our toughest competition of the year and any hopes of winning a National Championship would be solidified, or lost, on the field that day.

As was customary in our house, if we weren't at the game we watched it on television. We watched it on television, but the sound was off....... for the true picture of what was happening we LISTENED to Larry Munson, the voice of the Bulldogs on the radio!

The game was a nail-biter all day but going into the game, no one could have predicted that the final 90 seconds would determine Georgia's fate, on their march to a National Championship.

With just 90 seconds to go, the Dawgs were deep in the Florida red-zone, behind by one point and on 3rd down, it seemed like the magical season was in jeopardy. For Georgia to win the game, all the goodness of the earth would have to join forces and help conquer those evil crocks.

As the forces of good, stepped up to the line of scrimmage, you could feel the tension in our living room, in the living rooms of the faithful throughout the state of Georgia and in the stadium in Jacksonville.

I had made my way to a chair between mama and daddy, we didn't breathe, we just let Larry Munson guide us through those next few moments.

Relive it with me now...... the miracle of 1980, the moment good defeated evil, the moment when the sun shone bright and the fellowship of humanity celebrate the slaughter of a ugly lizard, sending it back to the swamp.

Run Lindsay, Run!


As Lindsay ran, you could feel the excitement grow. Run Lindsay, Run! Mama and Daddy and I ended up on our feet, jumping with the Georgia faithful! The dawgs were headed to New Orleans and their moment of destiny, a National Championship!



Those were beautiful days, yes they were and I encourage you, to remember the way things should be, the way they will be again, the days when Dawgs are king and pesky reptiles know their place!