The Day After

The Day After

“If you are a big eater, put a knife to your throat.”

Proverbs 23:2 (NLT)

This is a pretty drastic statement in Proverbs about eating.  In actuality, this verse along with other verses is talking about being greedy; not about killing yourself.  People on the whole are generally greedy.  If we have, we want more.  It seems as though we can never have enough to be satisfied.

When we eat too much we pay by either feeling sick or blowing the diet we are on.  Now we are headed into the Christmas season; are we going to repeat what we just did or learn from it? We learn at an early age to want more and more and more. I want to share a poem I wrote many years ago for my children when they were young and it’s about being greedy and what happens later.

A Boy’s Thanksgiving Day

I awoke with a start and remembered, “Hurray”; today is here, it’s Thanksgiving Day!”

Grandma is coming with Aunt Bess and Aunt Kate. They’ll bring something good; I just can’t wait.

I sniffed and I sniffed; oh what was that smell? Down the stairs I ran with a whoop and a yell.

After breakfast they said, “Now go out and play.”  Now how could I do that on Thanksgiving Day?

All I could think of was the turkey and pie, but “Out” said my mother with a frown and a sigh.

I know that they’d think I’d be under their feet, looking and smelling and teasing to eat.

I’m not like that, I just want to see.  Gosh, weren’t they ever little like me?

I went round to the window to peek in a little and wondered was in that big shiny kettle.

Mother opened the oven and pulled out a pan. I got so excited I could hardly stand.

I knew what it was and I wasn’t wrong. That great big turkey looked six foot long!

My eyes got bigger as I pressed hard on the glass.  I went through that window with a terrible crash.

Oh, that didn’t hurt me, but it wasn’t much treat, when Dad finished up, I had to stand up to eat.

The mess was cleaned up; things soon settled down, but the hands on the clock just wouldn’t go ‘round.

‘Toot, toot’ went a horn; It was Aunt Bess and Aunt Kate. I knew I didn’t have much longer to wait.

Finally we gathered around the big table.  I sat down very slowly, the best I was able.

There was turkey and potatoes, squash and pie, rolls and salads; I thought I would die.

We all bowed our heads and gave thanks for the day. I was most thankful, that I can say.

Never a word I said as I ate my dinner.  I just felt fatter and fatter and the turkey go thinner.

Mother said I ate like a pig, but was glad I was quiet, and I bet next week she would be on a diet.

Well after I had my third piece of pie, excused myself and told my Aunts good-bye.

I went up the stairs and lay down on my bed.  I didn’t feel very good from my feet to my head.

Couldn’t understand, I felt good before dinner. It happened about the time the turkey got thinner.

Then in came my mother with a bottle in hand, I had a strange feeling she could understand.

She held my nose;  I opened my mouth; dropped something in; it was castor oil and then she grinned.

“You’ve had a hard day, son,” she tucked me in, "but I understand" and kissed me on the chin.

I felt a little better, but I just want to say, I won’t eat like this again ‘til next Thanksgiving Day.

Praying you had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day and that you enjoy the coming Christmas Season.