The Sudbrock Scoop

A Celebration of Thanks

Wednesday morning we rose early and headed our separate ways. Serenity and I were off to see the eye doctor for the third time this year. Six months ago, the health department visited our preschool and told me that Serenity needed glasses. Sure enough when we took her to the doctor, the tests showed that she was only seeing 40% with one eye and 50% with the other. The doctor sent us home with some eye drops and asked us to come back in 2 months. Two months later we returned to find that her eyesight had improved and she was now seeing 60% in both eyes. Rather than prescribe glasses, the doctor decided to wait and see how her eyes progressed. This brings our story up to present. Our results this time? Serenity is seeing 75% with one eye and 80% with the other. The verdict – we will wait another 6 months and see what God does. The outcome – one very thankful set of parents and 1 disappointed preschooler who really wanted glasses.

The next stop on my list was a parent-teacher conference at the school. While there, the English teacher asked me to step in and tell the kids a little about Thanksgiving. What a blessing. I shared with them some of the basic facts and history and told them how it is a great time for us to gather together with our families and give thanks to God for all that He has done for us. Before leaving the teacher went around the room and asked everyone to name one thing they are thankful for. My son’s response – “I’m thankful that I get to go to school.” What a wonderful surprise to my day.

For weeks we have been planning to spend Thanksgiving Dinner with my Thursday night adult English conversation class. Directly following Bible study, we packed up the family and the food and headed for the community college. There, we were able to share Thanksgiving and our faith in God with my 11 students and some of their family members.

• I am thankful for Traci Baltic and the ABEKA Thanksgiving Day flashcards that she donated to our ministry years ago. They have come in handy more than once.
• I am thankful for Mrs. Brown, Betty Deem and Adolf Petzoldt – a few of my English teachers who drilled the basics into me and encouraged me to continue learning.
• I am thankful for Sonya Ryhal and Shirley McGuiness – two of my Home-Ec. teachers who helped me learn my way around in the kitchen.
• I am thankful for my Dad who taught me how to wing it – even if you do end up two plates short at the Thanksgiving table.
• I am thankful for church missionary closets like the one at Quint City Baptist Temple that shared the blessing of Tupperware with us so that we might be able to transport Thanksgiving dinner for 20 people. And I'm thankful that those Tupperware lids make such great plates in a pinch!
• I am thankful for Tabi, who sent the cranberries for the sauce.
• I am thankful for Grandma and for her pie crust recipe that never fails to get compliments and for the beautiful silverware she gave me for graduation.

• I am thankful for my sister, Kim, who gave me some great advice for getting the food from here to there without getting cold.

• I am thankful for mom who gave me a love for entertaining.

• I am thankful for the ladies of First Baptist Church of Ashland, Ohio, who helped to fill my kitchen with essentials such as a rolling pin and mixing bowls.
• I'm thankful for my mother-in-law and the beautiful red candle holders that made the table glow.
• I'm thankful for my husband who so willingly supports my crazy ideas - like fixing and transporting Thanksgiving Dinner for 20 people to a classroom across town with no kitchen facilities - in the rain no less!
• I'm thankful for my kids who so willingly participated and were so well behaved. I'm thankful that they considered it a blessing to be there tonight.
• I'm thankful that we were all healthy enough to enjoy the evening.

• I'm thankful for Mindy and Ashley Smith and for the Stove Top Stuffing that they sent.
• I'm thankful for Mittie Mitchell and the way she helped me develop teaching skills
• I'm thankful for Baptist Bible College and the "English As A Second Language" teaching classes.
• I'm thankful for all of our supporting churches who make it financially possible to be in Germany.
• I'm thankful for the opportunity to be in Wittenberg, Germany serving the Lord.

I hope you had a wonderful celebration of thanks today as well!