It has become a bit of a tradition to repost this very special MIL story on Thanksgiving.  This happened on Turkey Day 2004, so I am milking it for all the mileage I can.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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So on Wednesday, my mother-in-law showed up at our house with a large frozen turkey. This was especially strange because we had all decided to go out for sushi (even though I offered to cook a traditional dinner…anything to avoid having to cook Chinese style food for MIL).

After a cup or two of sake, MIL told us that she believed that the turkey she gave us was a miracle.

Of course, we had to ask how a turkey could be a miracle and this is what she told us:

At the grocery store, they give you a free turkey for being a good customer. Everyday for four days, I went to the grocery store to get my free turkey. The first three days, the turkeys were no good. Too big, too small, just not right. But yesterday, when I went to the grocery store, my luck changed. When I got to the big turkey freezer, there was a woman putting a big turkey in her cart. She was telling her husband how lucky they were to get this turkey. Then, the butcher clerk saw what she had and also said she was very lucky. I looked in her cart to see what kind of special turkey she had, so I could get this same kind of special turkey.

When I looked in the turkey freezer, I saw that there was just one turkey like that one left and I grabbed it. I looked at the turkey to see why it is so good and I see that it is a very expensive turkey. This turkey should cost THIRTY-EIGHT DOLLARS. Can you believe it? A turkey that cost $38 and I was getting it for FREE because of my grocery card. Very lucky.

Then I looked closer at the turkey. I see it is a KOSHER turkey. I went every day for three days and there were no Kosher turkeys before. I knew then that it was a miracle, just for me. I know that Jesus sent me this turkey and it is not just luck.

At this point, she seemed to think that was the end of the story. The rest of us did not. A incredulously asked her why Jesus would possibly send her a Kosher turkey.

Oh, it is because of Amah—that’s my mother. she said.

When I was a little girl, Amah killed many geese for us to eat. When Amah was going to kill a goose, first she hit it on the top of the head like this. She demonstrated by knocking her fist on her head. She hit it with the handle of the knife, right on its head. Then she mumbled some words. Then she slit its throat. Amah, I asked her, why do you say those words? Because she was a Buddhist, Amah said that she was saying a prayer for the goose when she had to kill it. She asked a blessing for her family.

When I saw that the turkey was Kosher, I know when it is killed, the Rabbi says a prayer. Just like when Amah killed a goose!

So then I know that Amah is in heaven and she told Jesus to send me the Kosher turkey so I will know it is from Amah and she is watching us. It is a miracle that I got this Kosher turkey.

Besides, it is worth THIRTY-EIGHT DOLLARS and I got it for FREE! That is a miracle too!