Fellow TPSer Amy DeLaughter was born in the year of 1990. Her parents raised Amy in the puny town of Newman, California. After living there for fourteen years, her own father uprooted her family and planted them in one of the suburbs of Dallas, Texas. At the moment, she dwells there with her parents and two brothers. For all of her school career, Amy’s mother has educated her at home. She now attends TPS for her second year in a row.

A Cause for the Pause

            Faith’s beautiful red hair flowed behind her as she walked down the street. She went from shop to shop in search for any inexpensive turkey meat that she could bring home to her three siblings for Thanksgiving. After a half hour of searching, she still had not found one. Yet, no matter if the tides turned for her or not, she always seemed to have a smile on her face, and a joyful gleam in her emerald colored eyes. Many people she passed by would scratch their heads and ask each other, “How does she keep going?” Yes, this a mystery, for this eighteen year old had gone through so much. At sixteen years old, Faith had lost the beautiful mansion that she and her family had lived in to a fierce arson fire. On top of that, her loving parents, her most prized possessions, perished in the fire. After much struggle in the court, Faith’s only uncle gained all of her parent’s wealth and resolved to have nothing to do with Faith and her siblings. Because they had nothing, Faith, her two sisters, and her brother had to live in a small two-bedroom shack. Believing that her family needs to stay together, Faith seemed to constantly fight the government’s attempts to put her siblings in foster care. She carried the burden of going to college, earning enough money for her scholarship and to support her family, and playing “mom” for her three siblings.

            On her way to another store, Faith passed by an elderly man, who sat to one side of the sidewalk. Knowing he was homeless, she dropped three dollars in his cup as she passed by. “Happy Thanksgiving,” she whispered. Noticing the money, a smile grew on his wrinkled face as he watched her depart. Now, that’s a sight for sore eyes, he thought. Soon, she found herself standing in front of a store by the name of “Pierre’s Butcher Shop”.

            As she flung open the door of the butcher shop, the long, brass sound of the cowbell greeted her. She was relieved to see that the butcher had not closed the shop for the holiday. On the walls of the shop hung rows and rows of meat; Faith felt as if the meat virtually surrounded her. Almost bordering the walls sat the once white counter of the shop. Now the counter’s color existed as a mixture of countless stains; stains of which Faith would not dare to ponder what caused them. At the back of the shop stood a doorway that obviously led to the storage room, in which the butcher kept his newly slaughtered meat. The butcher leaned over the counter. “Good morning, Madame. Welcome to my shop. How may I be of you service?” he questioned.

            “I’m looking for a whole slaughtered turkey at a price under one dollar,” she replied.

            The butcher’s jaw dropped. “My girl, I am sorry. The cheapest turkey I have is four dollars, but I might be able to help,” he explained as he disappeared into the storeroom. Within seconds, he came out of the storage room carrying a chicken. “This is a newly slaughtered chicken, all skinned and everything. It usually costs two dollars and fifty cents, but, since it is Thanksgiving, I will make an exception.”

            “Thank you, sir. I’ll take it,” Faith exclaimed.

            “Good, then that will be one dollar,” he requested.

            Gratefully, Faith gave the butcher the payment and watched him wrap the food all up in paper. After receiving the chicken, she proceeded homeward. Though it was only nine o’clock in the morning, she knew she needed to get some cooking done. She finally reached her shack. Upon her arrival, Faith proclaimed, “I’m home!”

Entering the room, her sister, Layla, studied Faith with her brown eyes. “Finally!” she exclaimed. “Did you get the turkey?”

            “Not exactly,” she replied as she handed her the chicken. “I was able to get this chicken, though.”

            Layla burst out laughing. “Then I guess we will have to make do with what we got.”

            After no more than an hour in a half of slaving over the hot stove, the entire family sat down to eat their small Thanksgiving meal. Before eating, the four paused to reflect on how much God had given them. Though she went through so much in her life, Faith had always found something to be thankful for. She had a house, a family, enough food for every passing day, and most importantly, God. God gave her strength, joy, and a reason for living. As they began to eat their small chicken that Thanksgiving, the four began to happily discuss all the things that God had blessed them with, for He was their secret for joy.