ANOTHER tHANKSGIVING MEMORY

I know this is not accurate but I will just write the memory I have. The day after Thanksgiving was another celebration started by a Kansas City Mayor. By the time i was involved in it my memory was a little vague. I can not remember the name of the mayor who started it but I remember him and his wife. One of his friends Jerry Cohen took it over and Jerry I remember well as my husband Ray even wrote about the many things he did for Kansas City. Kansas City ordered a big pine tree from Oregon which came in by train in two pieces. I think it was Bartle. In the time before Thanksgiving they sold chances on a car to be given away on the night after Thanksgiving and the money earned went to Kansas City charities. I think it was a Ford dealer.People would not receive the car because the taxes were too high so they were given a years lease on the car. Every year on the night after Thanksgiving we went to the Crown Center for the festivities. A group sang, then a celebrity spoke a few worda==generally. They gave out candy and the Boy Scouts handed out candles and then help light them during the ceremonies at the end. The ice skating rink was open and you could skate will you were waiting. The next day I would drive Jerry and Ray around while they delivered gifts like candy and toys to Mercy Children's Hospital. One year Jerry's nephew won and they were in a dither. Ray argued he showed have the car. The taxes became too high on the car so the winner got a rental car for a year. Sometimes I sat inside the Crown Center and sold tickets during the ceremonies as the winner was not drawn until the next day. I know the ceremonies are still carried on and they have added fireworks.

Thanksgiving again

One of the nice things in Kansas City at Thanksgiving is the lighting of the Plaza lights. I probably do not have my history correct but I think it was started by JC Nichols. Downtown Kansas City had so many Christmas things. Mr and Mrs Santa Claus in the window of Emery, Bird, Thayer. The neat train in Jones,The Fairy Princess in Klines and he had this new area he started so he started the Plaza Lights.

For a time, when we could afford it, we rented a room at the Alameda and had our children and grandchildren to see the lights turned on. You got a couple of parking places in the garage, ate a good dinner. I generally had to take a casserole of Kraft dinner for grandchildren.

The lights burn out sometimes and there was a florist shop in Fairway who sold the burnt out bulbs as a memento. They have great crowds and the program on a stage is good.

The only other big entertainment is the day after Thanksgiving when they light the Mayor's Christmas Tree at Crown Center. I think there is a Christmas train at Union Station, I will think on these things and hope they are correct but my husband who was a newspaper man, said I was never a reliable source.

Thansgiving again

When I was about ten the President did not declare what day was Thanksgiving and states were to choose themselves. Missouri picked one day and Kansas the preceeding Thursday. My father decided to take us to Kansas City on the Thursday Kansas picked and loaded us up and we headed east on Highway Ten which was the south highway and went thru Lawrence, Kansas. We drove by the Indian school in Lawrence and headed east and arrived in the suburb of Kansas City known as Johnson County. Highway ten went through Shawnee and the highway went along through Mission and Fairway going east. We saw them turn on the lights in the Plaza and then left and went across the Kaw River to Kansas City, Kansas and stopped at the Katz store and bought a bag of Chocolate Kisses. We went west on Highway 40 eating the kisses which had been carefully divided and passed Lawrence across the river and on west to Topeka. We had a wonderful time and were all tired out. We had been to the big town east of Topeka. We visited Kansas City a lot to visit Aunt Lily and Uncle Jack> I think it was Liberty. My uncle was a seamstress and worked in a clothing factory and I had three cousins, Fred, Dorothy and Laura.

Thansgiving again

When my husband was alive this how we did Thansgiving dinner. We ate in the basement recreation room around the ping pong table sitting some on wooden benches from the backyard picnic table/ We used plastic plates and pretty paper napkins. We used seasonal material the length of the table I bought at a fabric store--4 yards. On Tuesday I fixed the potatoes snd tore them in the crock pot. Wednesday I bake the potatoes. Wednesday I baked 3 pumpkin and one mincemeat, Before we went to bed Ray fixed the turkey in a bag and put it in the oven. It started baking by a timer on the stove. At 11 the oven was available again and I make the Pepperidge Farm stuffing. I add some dripping from the turkey and a lot of water. The group brings in things like Green bean casserole, corn casserole and Yam casserole. Someone brings home made bread. Sally brings Waldorf Salad. We eat at noon so about 11:45 we put on the Kraft macaroni. We open the canned cranberry sauce and cut turkeys out of the slices. We open both kinds of olives, We open the canned gravy and heat. We have the pie on paper plates and birthday cake as we have a four Birthdays. Sometimes we have wine if some one brings it and sometimes Russell Stover chocolates. We have plastic trash sacks to put the trash in for everything but the silverware. Plastic silverware is not good we we do wash regular silverware, Then we sit back and think what a great day it has been and will be as the group will head to the Plaza to watch the lights come on in the evening.

Church Pilgrim Costumes

I need to correct the atory about the costumes as my grandaughter Hayden tells me that when Susan Wa moving she asked about taking the costumes and my grandaughter Hayden who was tired of dressing up in them told her to go ahead, My daughters and grandaughters wwew chosen because on my husbands family they were desendents of Priscialla Alden's granddaughter. She was not mad just moving. Sorry Susan. Thanks Hayden

Thanksgiving

I love Thanksgiving. My parents belonged to a Congregational church and it was founded by the Pilgrims who came over on the Mayflower to Plymouth in New England and started having Thanksgiving to thank God. They started a lot of small colleges including one in Topeka that I graduated from. A few years back we had our church ushers dress like Pilgrims but the member who made the outfits became angry at the church and took the costumes and left the church. We like to celebrate it with the usual Thanksgiving menu of turkey and all the things that went with it. We have used plastic or paper plates so no one has to waste time washing dishes,The food is wonderful. My husband use tom roast the turkey but now I think Cindy does, Every one is assigned a dish and everything is delicious. I think I turn on the oven. In the evening it is down to the Plaza and watch them turn on the lights on all the buildings. Friday the day after it is eat wonderful leftovers and go to Crown Center to see them turn on the lights on the Mayor's Christmas tree. My husband, Ray, use to be be very involved in that. They sell tickets in a raffle that gives the winner a new car. I think now the winner gets the use of a car for a year but I am not sure. It starts the Christmas season off with a bang but think the season has already started in the stores. I shall look forward to the wonderful dinner. I have olives and cranberry sauce which I have so I am ready.

Prayers

My job at my Churches Women's group use to read a devotion before we had lunch and my husband Ray use to love to write them. This one I thought would be good on this Sunday Morning/ Dearest Lord Jesus, I hope you will not hold it against me if I speak to you as a friend who has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I hope this can be counted to be the reason for my temerity. I continue to follow your path today as best I can because I believe my heart strongly that your life represents the best hope of mankind and it is for that reason that I have the courage to address you.
I have been asked by this group of your followers here today to address a letter to someone on the question of "Brotherhood-sisterhood Harmony in a world of Differences. I gave the matter a great deal of thought and came to the inescapable conclusion that I could write only to you if I was to express the concepts that I wanted to convey. For over 2000 years the examples of your teachings and your life as you lived it have been a beacon to the world that would have been dark and gloomy without it. You brought hope to all of us in your teachings which have been handed down to us by your devout followers such as Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
Brotherhood-sisterhood, Harmony in a world of indifference. No one could exemplify that kind of that kind of of concept better than the life you lived. Dearest Lord Jesus, a life so deftly harmonized and unified that it was as all encompassing as the cathedrals that have been built in your honor. Within your outstretched arms= you encompassed all sorts and conditions of men--shepherds, magi,centurions, fishermen, tax gathers, generous women,blind beggars, farmers, vinedressers,children and aged men,scribes and Pharisees,representatives of every class in the social order and every type conceivable in the moral order. Nothing could be more suggestive of the wide appeal which your personality made to men.
No better formula for world of harmony through differences could be discussed than your teaching which has been handed down to us under the description of the sermon of the mount. Take the often repeated phrase "the meek shall inherit the earth" This conveys the daring thought that those who are gentle, which many scholars believe more clearly conveys the meaning of the original Greek word handed to us, and exemplify your spirit may ultimately people the world. You made it so clear that life by any other concept would lead to war, hate and oppression.
In that sermon you asked that we lead life that had an air of mercy and pity toward others. As someone much smarter that I has written;; "What a contrast there was between the attitude of Jesus and Buddha in the presence of misery and wretchedness The latter sought to escape from them while the former enters the haunts of wretchedness and woe to grapple with them and alleviate the suffering of those who are their victims."
In 2000 years,we who are followers seem to have kept alive a flickering spirit of hope in the breast of man. I am writing to ask that you help us to realize that if we truly believe in a merciful God who sent you to convey the spirit by which Man could live a better life and live by your precepts,brotherhood and sisterhood in a world of differences would be the result. Thank you for letting me speak to you and for being the friend who has made life bearable dearest Lord Jesus, Ray Morgan