by Dr. Ed DeVries
Those of you who have been listening to my TBR radio shows these last few years know that I am not a fan of Thanksgiving. In fact, I always schedule a trip outside the United States during this week.
Last year, I spent the week of Thanksgiving in the Dominican Republic. The holiday is not celebrated there. But there are always more than a few Americans on the island so the “traditional” meal is served in the restaurants that tourists would frequent. I told the waiter to bring me a porterhouse with cornbread stuffing, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, and mashed potatoes on the side. I also had a slice of pumpkin pie for desert. Basically, I’m just not a fan of turkey.
And, by the way, neither were the Pilgrims. Given the time of year and location of the first feast it is highly doubtful that turkey was on the menu. They probably ate venison. And there was also no pie, as flour and butter (necessary to make the crust) were not available.
Another Thanksgiving tradition is football. Da Bears play the Lions and the Cowboys play the Washington “Football Team” formerly known as the Redskins. At least most years, that is. I just discovered that this year the Lions are playing the Texans and not Da Bears. And I was so looking forward to watching that Bears – Lions game.
Most years, again being outside the country, I do not catch the football games. Or if I do, its not more than a few minutes. As my readers know, I am a baseball guy. And with all the kneeling, BLM, and cancel culture nonsense I’ve pretty much I given up on the NFL. I’m usually doing missionary work on my Thanksgiving week trips so my time is occupied with more important things than football. In 2019, being in the Dominican, I managed to squeeze in about 90-minutes on a Caribbean beach. Now, that’s the way to celebrate any holiday.
My wife, on the other hand, goes crazy at Thanksgiving. So does her family. By the way, so do most families. And that is one of the big reasons I started traveling during that week–to get away from people I very much love 51 weeks out of the year but can’t stand to be around for that one week. They do not get all weird at Christmas, or Easter, or the week of President’s Day. So why Thanksgiving?
But this year is different.
Yes, I could have travelled this year. In fact, I had been invited by the leader of a Caribbean nation to preach at their church on Sunday the 29th. They would have flown me in on Tuesday (today in my writing). Had it been a private plane, I’d probably already have landed, but it was commercial, with all the crazy things I’d have to do to fly commercial in international travel. I asked if we could reschedule the invitation to 2021. Thank you, Covid-19.
What did I learn from this? That the highest-ranking elected official in a country tells me they are POWERLESS to eliminate or bypass or waiver Covid restrictions. In fact, the church service I would have preached at would have been “virtual,” with attendance limited to 50 people with hundreds more watching online. My point: There are higher powers in this world than those we think we elect to “power” answer to.
Lest I get hung up there, the point of my writing is that our government, and other governments of the world, in obedience to that “higher power,” or as my dear friend, Lady Michèle Renouf, calls them, “The Powers That Should Not Be,” have literally, and in the name of Covid-19, DESTROYED the world as we knew it. And they are still on the warpath! Not much is left.
So while I am not normally a fan of Thanksgiving, and it is saddening that I just turned down an all expenses-paid trip to a Caribbean paradise, this year I am actually looking forward to Thanksgiving.
I am, as I said, not a fan of turkey. But I went out and bought the two biggest ones the grocery store had. Why? Because that is a NORMAL and AMERICAN thing to do. And given all of the over-reaction to the plandemic, well, it’s been way too long since I’ve been allowed to do much of anything “normal.”
I called my brother-in-law and invited my wife’s family over to the house. I’ve also invited some folks from church. And surprisingly, I’m looking forward to it. Again, why? Because that is the NORMAL and AMERICAN thing to do.
I guess, like most of you, I just want to return to “normal.”
Dry meat, football, and crazy relatives, here is wishing you a happy and “normal” Thanksgiving!
- Visit www.dixieheritage.net for a free copy of Dr. Ed’s book The Truth About the Confederate Battle Flag.