Family Dinner

 

Tonight, my friends and I decided that we wanted to have dinner Thai/Chinese/Peruvian/Malawi style.  

All of us have been to these other cultures and one thing they all have in common is that they eat as a group.  there's never really the mentality of "I'll eat by myself tonight."  If that is the case, then it is not the norm.

There is this fabulous Chinese place right down the road from where I live and Stephanie decided we were gonna eat take out from there tonight.  one thing led to another and before we knew it we were on the floor around the table eating from these boxes with chop sticks.  

I got to thinking while I was sitting there that this is what dinners will be like when I finally get overseas!  I got all excited just thinking about it.  I remembered when I was in W. Africa and dinner was a community thing.  They made this huge meal and it seamed like the whole village ate from it (at least the ones who wanted to associate with the Christians).  Then I thought of a picture I saw of a family sitting on a blanket on the ground eating from a large dish in the middle of the blanket.  I can't wait to be back in the atmosphere where meal time is a time to spend with people.  Not to just satisfy this never ending hunger.

This is one thing I look forward to, and wish America would practice more often. 

There is so much I am looking forward to that I forget to LIVE where I am living.  The Lord has me where He wants me.  And He will send me where He has prepared a way for me.  But I have to remember that the Gospel is a lifestyle.  Worship is a lifestyle.  An overflow, a light that is felt and seen by those around us.  I heard a wonderful quote today about being the light.  Light is best seen when shown into darkness.

My calling is to go to the darkness (wherever that may be.  Arkansas or Africa or Greece) and shine the light that is within me, JESUS.  He is the answer to everything.  

Thank you Lord for friends and the blessing of relationships.  We Praise you for even this small picture of the Gospel and how the body of Christ can be brought together in our most basic of needs.