Events & Eternity

I'm at home with the fam. All eight of us plus baby Gracia. You could call it a family reunion. I might call it a celebration of food. Granted, the Beaches are more health-conscious than most, but what we do eat usually looks like a work of art and tastes better. No such thing as paper plates and casserolls. Even the hamburgers we had for lunch couched Danish Blue Cheese and were accompanied by a melody of fruit and spring salads. The setting changes frequently. The tables twinkle with votives and flowers cut fresh from the gardens. Dimmed party lights and billowing opaque fabrics hover overhead.

Some might raise a grumbling that all we spend our time doing is either preparing for a meal or cleaning up after it, but I tend to think of cultures where eating is more than a chore, it is the event. Meals last for three hours, celebrating the art of cusine and a gathering of friends or family. I like it this way. I don't really mind if we don't do a lot.. provided there is ample time for excercise to work off lean but ample courses. The French think this way. I may not appreciate their diplomatic efforts and find their armed forces a wellspring for wisecracks, but when it comes to food, I find reason to speak kindly of them.

In other thoughts, we suffered through an amatuer sermon this morning. The regrettable thing about visiting family, and thus their churches on holidays is that usually the pastor is usually doing the same thing. I'm sure in any given church, on any given holiday visiting pastors are sprinkled about enjoying the day off, and to make it better for them, a fledgling is nervously stumbling through speach notes, boosting the pastors' egos.. "I suppose I preach much better than he..". At any rate, this youth pastor pontificated on the oft repeated phrase of Christian-speak: "We are unable to anything without His strength." Now, to any heathen sitting in our midst, the matter is probably settled quickly as foolishness of religious minds, not well thought through, a nonsensible dictum. Of course we can do many things without His strength. So why to Christians say that? We might have to quickly shut off common sense that remembers the list checked off before leaving work on Friday.. probably without a prayer. I suppose what we really mean is that we cannot do anything worthwhile to God without His strength. Americans have perfected busy-bodyness. What we forget, or at least don't phrase right is that most things we do are meaningless scurrying. What we should remember is that God's direction is necessary to lead us into paths that are eternally worthy.