lessons from a turkey..

I know, it's preposterous, but before this last week I had never cooked a turkey on my own!  Thanksgiving has always been at someone else's house and I can chef up a mean sweet potato casserole, so that's that.  But on Tuesday, I took my wife skills to the next level.  We were given a turkey and I knew I needed to use it fast or it would slowly migrate to the 'back forty' of our freezer, never to be seen again.  I figured it couldn't be too difficult.. just unwrap and pop in the oven, right?!
So, there I was in the kitchen, just me and this waiting-to-be-cooked turkey.  I arrived at step two of the directions where I was instructed to 'remove throat from neck cavity'.  My first reaction was slightly horrified shock that this bird came complete with a neck?!  Second reaction: hilarious laughter!!  It bubbled up inside and came spilling out of my very own 'neck cavity', filling the kitchen.  Yep, I had the giggles.  My funny bone had officially been tickled and it felt wonderful.  I wish I could have shared this moment with someone; laughter truly is the best medicine!
After regaining my composure, for the most part, and removing the stranger parts of this bird (also, possibly flapping his wings a time or two..) I seasoned that turkey and baked it.  Derek gave my 'Thanksgiving in March' a five star rating and we've been enjoying leftovers all week.  Turns out, there was a lot more potential in that turkey than I first realized; much more than meets the eye.  But it also took more work than I had anticipated.  Did you know you have to wash and dry a turkey?  Season the entire thing, inside and out?  And remember to keep it moist while baking??  That's why I tell this story..  because there is much in my life that reminds me of this turkey.  Many things that started off in neat little packages, leading me to believe it was as simple as 'popping it in the oven', only to realize how much more was involved!  In the same way that food tastes better when it's home made, there is such great joy found in the things of life that require hard work, diligence and truly investing of ourselves.

Take, for instance, marriage.  Many people I love are getting married this summer.  This has made me reflect on my very own special day and realize just how incredibly far Derek and I have come since that perfect summer afternoon.  I loved him then, but we were just taking the turkey out of the freezer.  You can say 'mmm.. I sure love turkey!' before doing any of the work.  Now, I realize my analogy is lacking on multiple levels and I'm not comparing our relationship to turkey basting!  But Derek and I have done life next to each other- day in and day out- for almost four years, now.  We've had countless adventures and we've faced hardships and tough decisions.  We've ventured far, attempted crazy things and we've had to decide whether to use money to pay bills or buy food.  We've laughed, we've cried and we've had more water fights than I can count.
Derek and I are learning each other, over and over, deeper and deeper; every day, each moment.  We cheer the other one on, ask the hard questions, hold the throw up bowl, give of ourselves when we'd rather not.  Marriage is so much more than meets the eye.  It is the most incredible bond, the fiercest of dedication and trust.  I love being married to my best friend.  It's a journey, it's hard work, and it is a privilege.  I know in the grand scheme of things we are just barely scratching the surface.. but from where I stand, we've journeyed far and discovered depths we didn't know existed.

Another 'neat little package' we recently unwrapped: having a baby!  'It'll be fun', we said!  And it has been; over and over, a thousand times better than we could ever have imagined.  But when it comes to this baby turkey, there is a heck of a lot more than meets the eye.  There are bodily fluids in plenty, unknowns, sleepless nights and frustrations.  Our family has grown tremendously in the past year.  We've seen each other at our worst.  We've found in ourselves a strength we didn't know we had and that is empowering!  Then we came to the END of what we had to give and realized our desperate need for a Strength NOT our own.
Being parents is an enormous challenge, the most incredible blessing and one of the greatest joys we've ever known.  It is also messy and it is 24/7 and there is no instruction manual!  We are crazy about our tiny son.  He is constantly making us laugh, requiring us to give of ourselves, helping us re-prioritize.  He has changed our lives immeasurably and we are just getting started!  There are certainly things we miss (mostly, sleep) but we wouldn't trade this for anything.  We are honored to be the ones raising this little man; Derek and I truly believe that Owen is a reward from God (Psalm 127:3)  Training them up 'in the way they should go', however, is not a task for the faint of heart. (Proverbs 22:6)  This is a turkey we will invest in for the rest of our lives!  What a challenge.. to raise a warrior!  What a joy! I can only imagine all the adventures in store :)

Now, if there's a moral to any of this story, it's that the best things in life require something of us.  The turkey just tastes better after being gutted, seasoned and basted by yours truly.  The relationships that will last a life time are the ones we make time for, that we are truly devoted to.  This makes me think deep about my walk with Christ.  I'm not talking 'works', salvation is a free gift that simply needs accepting.  I'm talking about where you go from there; the day in and day out.  The nitty gritty that is true of any genuine relationship.  'For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.' Matthew 6:21  
Where is my heart?  What do I go running to when I have a split second of free time.  Instagram?  I need to invest myself in treasures that go beyond this lifetime.  I need to prioritize!  Just as I've committed to less time on my phone and more time with the loves right in front of me, I need to put less focus on the things of this world and more on the things of God.  'He must become greater; I must become less.' John 3:30
What truly matters in this life?  The relationships I'm serious about are the ones that I will stay awake all night for.  I will humble myself and say I'm sorry, I will face fears, I will go out of my way, I will trade a shower for a tickle fight, I will go to any lengths: for my husband, for my son.  What about for the One who rescued me from an eternity in Hell?  The One who died to set me free?  What will I do for time alone with Him?  What do I need to say no to in order to give Him more than three minutes before my eyes slide shut at night?  These are hard questions and I'm asking them entirely of myself.  But I want to share them with you. Luke 6:45 says that the mouth speaks what the heart is full of and today I need to roll up my sleeves and dig deep, asking myself what I want my heart to be full of.