Today, the beginning of Lent, a season that no church I have ever attended participates in, my family began an experiment based on the book A Place at the Table: 40 Days of Solidarity with the Poor.
I struggled with this one for many reasons, primarily, as my friend said, "You can't force Lent on someone else." How can I force my family to choose a country to identify with and eat only what they eat for 40 days? She decided that for the Six Sundays of Lent, she would serve a meal like one of their sponsored children would eat....which set my mind rolling. And finally I came up with (yes, it is the easy route) 40 days of at least a side dish that a person in impoverished circumstances would consider a full and welcome meal. We would discuss the dish, where it is eaten and whether we would like for that to be our meal. If I am having a holy night, we will also pray for the people of that country and for gratitude in our own hearts for the food set before us. If I'm rushed and frustrated, one of the kids might pray: Thank you God, for this food, and bless our bodies, and let us have Iris, Amen. Which has been our standard go-to prayer for far too long.
Yes, I know. It is, indeed, self serving. It, being gratitude for what is set before us....and let us have Iris. Both and. But I was referring to MY prayer and not theirs.
But, also, I don't really want to eat lentils either. It is a multifaceted self-servitude.
Tonight our dinner was: fish, tomatoes, curried lentils and naan.
We prayed for: India and our Indian sponsored child Aruna.
Quote of the night: I don't think lentils would make a very good main dish. (Princess)
Followed by the second quote of the night: I'm not feeling it tonight either Princess. (Brent)
Followed by the third quote of the night: Dad's eye is twitching. (convulsive giggles) (Eldest)
I think/hope this may produce the desired result.
Gratitude.
By way of ingratitude.
This should be interesting.
I struggled with this one for many reasons, primarily, as my friend said, "You can't force Lent on someone else." How can I force my family to choose a country to identify with and eat only what they eat for 40 days? She decided that for the Six Sundays of Lent, she would serve a meal like one of their sponsored children would eat....which set my mind rolling. And finally I came up with (yes, it is the easy route) 40 days of at least a side dish that a person in impoverished circumstances would consider a full and welcome meal. We would discuss the dish, where it is eaten and whether we would like for that to be our meal. If I am having a holy night, we will also pray for the people of that country and for gratitude in our own hearts for the food set before us. If I'm rushed and frustrated, one of the kids might pray: Thank you God, for this food, and bless our bodies, and let us have Iris, Amen. Which has been our standard go-to prayer for far too long.
Yes, I know. It is, indeed, self serving. It, being gratitude for what is set before us....and let us have Iris. Both and. But I was referring to MY prayer and not theirs.
But, also, I don't really want to eat lentils either. It is a multifaceted self-servitude.
Tonight our dinner was: fish, tomatoes, curried lentils and naan.
We prayed for: India and our Indian sponsored child Aruna.
Quote of the night: I don't think lentils would make a very good main dish. (Princess)
Followed by the second quote of the night: I'm not feeling it tonight either Princess. (Brent)
Followed by the third quote of the night: Dad's eye is twitching. (convulsive giggles) (Eldest)
I think/hope this may produce the desired result.
Gratitude.
By way of ingratitude.
This should be interesting.
1 comment:
:)
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