Over the years, Jan and I have found ourselves serving the
Lord in several unique locations.  One of
those places was our assignment in the West Indies when our base of operation
was out of Kingston, Jamaica. 
Thanksgiving time in Jamaica did not have the crisp air and falling
leaves like our home back in Oregon. 
Jamaica had its own beauty at that time of year, but it was wrapped in
the hot and humid climate of the Caribbean.  Even more oppressive was the reality that at
the time of our arrival, the city of Kingston was filled with a heightened sense
of violence. At that time Kingston, Jamaica had the highest murder rate of any
city in the world. It was a very different holiday season for our family.

Our first Thanksgiving in this new land was coming soon. I had to be in Florida for a ministry assignment
and would be traveling back into Kingston just a day before Thanksgiving. My wife, Jan, grew up as a missionary kid so
she always knew how to always make things special in a new environment.

While in Miami with some spare time before my flight back to
Kingston, I had an idea. Because the
tradition of Thanksgiving was uniquely American and because I had not seen any
turkeys for sale on the island, I thought I would buy a frozen turkey and take
it with me in my carry-on luggage back to my family. It would have time to begin thawing on the trip
home. The presence of a familiar baked Thanksgiving turkey would take the edge
off of being in a foreign environment on our first Thanksgiving in a new land.
Somewhere in the back of my mind I thought there might be some regulation
against importing frozen food, but I did not let my mind wander too far in that
direction.

This was pre-9/11 so the security process was not as harried
as it is today. As I stood in line,
rehearsing what I would say to the security personnel if I were asked the
question, “Do you have anything to declare?” I was determined to not lie. If
someone were to ask if I was smuggling a frozen turkey, I would admit my error
and hand it over. Boarding the flight in
Miami was easy. No one asked me anything. I got on the plane and put my bag with the frozen
turkey in the overhead bin above. I was hoping that during its thawing process
the turkey would not begin to drip on the passengers near me setting of some
kind of inflight emergency. I watched
the overhead bin for the entire flight as we made our way across the Caribbean.

When I arrived in the Kingston airport, I tried to put on my
most innocent face and not look like my right arm was overly elongated trying
to carry a 20-pound frozen turkey. I got
in the customs line and inched my way forward with the rest of the passengers.
The Jamaican woman who checked my passport did not ask the usual questions. She simply looked at me and said, “Welcome
back” and that was it. I didn’t feel as
honorable as a Bible smuggler at some checkpoint in one of the Eastern European
nations behind the old Iron Curtain, but it would be as close as I would ever get
to that feeling.

When I walked in the door of our home in Kingston, Jan and
the kids greeted me with hugs and kisses. Then I opened my bag and pulled out the turkey. Laughter and squeals of joy filled our home
as the familiar Thanksgiving turkey came to visit four Americans for their
first Thanksgiving in a new land. Jan prepared a beautiful meal with all the
trimmings and we ate together with joy. That Thanksgiving reminded me of the
importance of what each of us bring to this special holiday.

This Thanksgiving, what can you bring to make the unfamiliar
feel like “family” to those you gather with? In whatever setting you find
yourself there will be something you can bring. Thanksgiving is bigger than bringing a special dish of food. This
special day is about a heart attitude and a reminder that God is our blessing
and those people in our lives with whom we celebrate this day are part of that
blessing.

The first mention of the word “thanksgiving” in the Bible is
not until the book of Leviticus. The
writer is describing the law of peace offerings. 

“This is
the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings which he shall offer to the Lord:
If he offers it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer, with the sacrifice of
thanksgiving, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, unleavened wafers anointed with
oil, or cakes of blended flour mixed with oil.” Leviticus 7:11-12

We have a tendency to think the idea of Thanksgiving might
have originated within the American story of our history, yet here it was
thousands of years ago in the Holy Land. What struck me were the words, “with the sacrifice of
thanksgiving”. Whatever was required to
be brought to the table for those important ceremonies would need to be brought
with thanksgiving. God places a high priority on thanksgiving. 

This Thanksgiving you might be asked bring a tangible
contribution to the Thanksgiving meal. Jell-O
salads, green bean casseroles or a potato dish or even a smuggled turkey could
be your contribution to the feast. You
might find yourself in place or circumstance that is less than desirable. You
may not be able to celebrate Thanksgiving in any traditional sense of the word.
In whatever setting you find yourself the most important essence you and I will
bring to Thanksgiving Day is the presence of God wrapped in a heart of thankfulness. This will be the sacrifice of thanksgiving
you will offer to those around the table and that sacrifice will be the most important
gift you bring. Long after the taste of
the turkey has passed your sacrifice of thanksgiving will continue to feed
those present. 

That Thanksgiving, that took place over 20 years ago in
Jamaica is an enjoyable memory and reminder, not only of the unexpected turkey
and it’s unique trip from America to Jamaica, but what actually made that hot
and humid Thanksgiving in the Caribbean so special. It was the sense of
thankfulness I felt as I sat across the table from three people I loved so
much. 

Have a blessed and thankful Thanksgiving.