Feasting

Even though Halloween is behind us,  fall is very much still here and we are in the full swing of things around here. If you’re not feasting on that Halloween candy, then I know you’re secretly collecting that candy tax whenever you’re in the clear!

I am a huge celebratory fan of all things fall. I don’t like the slightest idea of skipping over Thanksgiving and heading straight for the ornament aisle. For me, it’s another exciting excuse to create and slap together a semi-constructed pilgrim hat for the kids and whip up a homemade batch of that real buttery goodness! That time of feasting is now.

Growing up, my family embraced this art of feasting. In my family, it was all about the buffets. Let me tell you, we went to all of them. We went to the Chinese buffets and the All American buffets. For Easter, I remember going to these lavish buffets with ice sculptures as centerpieces and where the butter was carved into rose bouquets. Holidays at home were no different. The formal china came out. The turkey and spiral ham were always served, and of course, grandma’s ice cream cake with the cookie crumb crust always made it to the table.

Now, can I share a little confession of mine? I actually love buffets! The fried chicken, endless bowls of mac n’ cheese, and the chicken noodle soup were some of my favorites.

So, you may be wondering what does my buffet lovin’ confession about loving butter ladened rolls have to do with anything? The answer: everything!

Many times we savor and feast on major moments or events in our lives like holidays and birthdays. We celebrate weddings and babies. You share your child’s first soccer goal or lost tooth.  You tell everyone about that amazing 10 year anniversary trip that you took to Aruba. You even share your best haircut on Facebook or post yet another selfie while you attend your favorite U2 concert.

Don’t get me wrong. These lavishing moments and experiences are all worthy of celebratory feasting and announcement. However, I don’t think we are solely called to just celebrate these so-called “buffet”moments in life.

If we’re being honest, I think we tend to get so caught up in the buffet moments of life that we tend to overlook the bread crumb ones as well. We stop living in the present moment and lose sight of the little victories along the way.

Why can’t we celebrate the fact that it was only one entire bowl of cheerios that spilled all over the breakfast table and not two or three? What about the fact that you successfully made the entire eight hour trip to grandma’s house  without one single fight, car sick child, diarrhea blow out, or some other major spillage taking place?

Why not celebrate the fact that today you chose to fight evil with good by walking away from an argument instead of lashing back with hurtful words or for mustering up the courage to admit that you were in fact wrong about a certain situation? We talk a lot about being brave and having courage nowadays, but what about celebrating the courage it took to tell the truth when all you wanted to do was pass the blame onto someone else?

We had been learning about courage in our house recently and I will never forget the day when my oldest came up to me with tears and humility in her eyes. She had been holding back a lie for what seemed like eternity. With all of the courage she had, she confessed this heavy burden. What did we do? We celebrated, of course! We brought out the champagne glasses and served her dinner on a semi-golden platter, feasting on redemption and confession. The fruit of her Godly behavior had its rewards.

I once read that thankfulness is the cushion in our trials. We are not always going to experience the buffet moments throughout life. We will have the illnesses, the deaths, the divorce, the debts, the family divisions, and the list goes on.

“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”  -1 Thessalonians 5:18

See this place? This is my sweet spot. The place I savor goodness and the place I pour my tears. When the days are hard and I cry, I sit here. When I whine and complain, feast, or fast, I sit here. I look at the one place in my house that is beautiful to me and all of a sudden everything seems okay. I harvest all of the good things in my life and I realize that my sometimes pettiness can overlook the feasts set before me.

God prepares a feast for us in the presence of our dark and scary moments. Entering into His joy welcomes us to His table of goodness during both trial and triumph times. How does He want us to respond in both of these? I believe it is with a feasting attitude. I think of Paul and Silas in prison when the earthquake shook and their shackles freed them, yet they stayed and rejoiced because God was with them. And what was their response? They feasted at the table.

“You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings.” -Psalm 23:5

If we recognize that God is present with us in all things, we can then feast on just about anything that comes our way. That’s our outpost of heaven on Earth.  We’ve got every reason to celebrate. Jesus calls us to live radically and I believe that includes celebrating radically. Can you think of a better way to live out our Kingdom Citizenship and show the world some authentic Kingdom Living?

If this requires you to jump on the trampoline until your bladder tells you otherwise or to make the biggest splash in the pool, then go for it. We sleep safely, have food that fills our bellies, and freedom to elect our leaders. I should be excited to feast on such things. I don’t know what that looks like for you, but we are choosing to practice this art of celebrating in our house-big and small.

“There, in the presence of the Lord your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the Lord your God has blessed you.”  -Deuteronomy 12:7

Whether you are treasuring God in your holiday traditions or treasuring Him in the present moment, feast, harvest, and savor the goodness in all things. Let’s awaken ourselves to receive all moments as opportunities for feasting. Feast not only on the buffet moments in life, but on the bread crumb ones as well.