Something to be thankful for

So, today is the day we Americans set aside to thank God for His many blessings as the separatists did almost 400 years ago. Despite what many will say, the Pilgrims, (not what they called themselves by the by), did not hold the first thanksgiving feast to thank the Wampanoag, nor did they set out on a quest of genocide against them (the Separatists, i.e. the Pilgrims, never killed any of the aboriginal peoples of this continent, that wasn't their style, they were peaceful folk), no, the Separatists held the first thanksgiving to thank God for His faithfulness and they invited the Wampanoag, their trading partners, to join them in thanking God.

So it is that I also am thankful to the Almighty for His blessings. I had to work today, and my wife is with her family (I won't divulge where my kid is), so my best friend, who doubles as my pastor, invited me to join his family for Thanksgiving dinner.

It's a beautiful day out there, and the ride was grand. Any clouds in the sky were so thin they let the sun through and the temperature hung between 50 and 60 degrees. The traffic wasn't too horrible either.

Riding up the highway toward Ephrata, more than a few Thanksgiving day travelers were obviously amused by sight of Rowlf on a scooter. I was only on the highway for about two miles and didn't push the throttle too much. I got off at the Ephrata exit, and headed toward Terre Hill. The traffic was heavier on the back roads, and the bike-n-buggy Mennonites were out in force. A fair number seemed amused by Rowlf.

Dinner at Kevin and Diane's house was wonderful, complete with a pecan covered sweet potato dish. It was a blessing to be surrounded by friends. Unfortunately it was all too short a time and I had to leave for work.

The road between Terre Hill and Lebanon ranges through hills, valleys and small towns. It's really quite a lovely ride and even passes the Middle Creek project, while offering up all sorts of twists and turns for the cornering enthusiast. The best part of it was, the pre-thanksgiving-dinner traffic had all tapered off and the roads were lonely and quiet, just the way I like them.

So today, I am thankful for friends, family, open roads, solitude, and the joy of the two-wheeler, among other things of course. This country may not be perfect, but we are blessed and that is another thing to thank God for.