Most people have a special Thanksgiving recipe or holiday tradition, including the Amish. One tradition my father passed on to me was how to make a savory dressing to stuff inside the turkey before baking. My mother taught me how to make pumpkin and apple pies, which were also delicious. Today I would like to share one of my Amish friend’s special Thanksgiving recipes with you.

Perfect Pumpkin Pie

1 cup pumpkin or squash, cooked
1 ½ cups brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 tablespoons flour
4 eggs yolks
4 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 egg whites, stiffly beaten
2 – 9 inch pie shells, unbaked

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine the pumpkin, brown sugar, salt, allspice, cloves, cinnamon, flour, egg yolks, milk, and vanilla together until well blended. Fold in egg whites that have been stiffly beaten. Pour into the pie shells. Bake for 1 hour or until knife that has been inserted in the pie comes out clean. Yield: 2 pies

What is your favorite Thanksgiving recipe, and do you have any special holiday traditions that have been passed on from generation to generation?

Every time my husband and I have been invited into an Amish home for supper we’ve enjoyed the light banter, joke-telling, and laughter that accompanies the meal. Recently, we visited some Amish friends in Ohio, and the joyful sound of laughter could be heard all evening as we talked, shared a meal, and sang several songs.
Having grown up in a house where laughter was scarce, I find it refreshing to be with people who like to laugh and have a good time. In fact, I often look for things to smile and laugh about, knowing that focusing on the positive is good for me emotionally as well as physically.
There are times when I might not feel joyful, but if I remind myself to look around, there’s always something to smile about—-a frisky animal, like the squirrel or rabbit who often visit our yard, singing birds, flowers in bloom, tress turning color in the fall, and children at play.
The Bible tells us in Proverbs 17:22 that a merry heart is good medicine. Just like the birds that sing in my yard, our Amish friends know how to share their joy with others. A joyful heart is pleasing to the Lord, and it’s an added benefit to know that it’s good for you too. What are some things that bring a smile to your face?

In my recent novel, The Hope Jar, Michelle Taylor takes on the identity of Sara Murray, an elderly Amish couple’s granddaughter. Willis and Mary Ruth Lapp have never met Sara before, and since Michelle resembles their daughter, Rhoda, whom they have not seen since she ran away from home many years ago, they believe the imposter is actually their long-lost granddaughter.

Has anyone you know ever hidden a truth from you or said something hurtful–something you never would have expected? If so, how did it make you feel? Were you able to forgive that person?

What does the Bible teach us about forgiveness?

One thing I admire about my Amish friends is their ability to forgive others who have hurt, or even harmed them. This kind of forgiveness does not come easy for anyone, but with God’s help we can find it in our hearts to forgive anyone who has hurt us physically or emotionally.

“Jesus said, ‘If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.'” Matthew 6:14.