Food for Thought

What does it mean when someone shows up at your door, weighted down with grocery bags and a casserole? In my past experience I would guess I had just had a baby. Back then we were plugged in to a great church, with lots of friends and family close by. As exhausting as those times were, it was great to have "meals". I learned a lot about loving people when I was on the receiving end of the meals ministry. The meals people brought spoke volumes on caring and kindness. Not just a casserole or pot of soup, these were full course masterpieces. Breads hot from the oven, salad, dessert! Sometimes there was a package of paper goods to save on dishes, or a sweet card, or a small treat for the children. After being on the receiving end a few times, my joy at being on the giving end increased dramatically. Suddenly the extra job in the day, that I really didn't have time for, was transformed into a labor of love...no matter if you knew the needy party or not.

Today was a blast from the past, when our new Pastor and his wife showed up for a quick visit. Although this is probably their busiest day of the week, and they have six children of their own, they made time to drive way out here into the sticks to bring us communion, and a lasagna dinner. Actually, we suspect, THEIR lasagna dinner. And not just the most fantastic, mouthwatering lasagna, but bread, and salad, and doughnuts! Tons of big fat greasy doughnuts! The whole time I was overstuffing myself on this unexpected bounty, I felt loved and cared for. How can food do that? How do we tie ourselves with cords of love to another, by serving them food? It's a mystery of spiritual proportions. Well, maybe it isn't the Trinity, but it is pretty amazing.