Holy Food

One of the blogs I regularly read, Girl Talk, recently ran a series of tributes to Grandmothers. Sadly, I didn't get one sent in before the deadline, but as I read the tributes sent in by readers, I was struck by a common theme running through the notes: food. Here are some quotes...

"She is an EXCELLENT cook!! I can remember countless meals that she created for our family. We looked like a Norman Rockwell painting as we sat around her table, eating fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, peanut beans, and homemade apple pie. Spending the night at Granny's farm, meant waking up to fried eggs, sausage, bacon, and biscuits. She would cook a meal for seven, and then clean up after us and she never had a dishwasher!She would do this joyfully!! I have never heard Granny complain about any household chore."

"She made her delicious meals from scratch, and one of my fondest memories is of watching her roll out and cut homemade noodles on the kitchen table. She made biscuits, mashed potatoes, roast and homemade gravy . . . you name it, she made it - all on that one little table. "

"When a chapter or two had been read, we'd go into the kitchen and I'd help Grandmommy make dinner. The meal was always well planned, balancing vegetables and salad with some type of starch and meat. My two favorites were her sweet and sour meatballs and her chicken divan and biscuits with honey. I'd cut up the vegetables and sprinkle them on top of the salads, always in individual bowls, while we talked about life."

My own personal memories of my grandmothers include food as well. At my grandparent's 60th anniversary celebration last summer, the grandkids got to share some memories, and my grandma's cooking was a popular theme in our tributes. Could it be that there is something holy about this seemingly common act of eating?

Without going into a long theological discourse, meals are all throughout the Bible--not the least of which is the Marriage Feast of the Lamb. We are that "Bread is made for laughter, and wine gladdens life." Simple things in life, the taste of fresh strawberries, a good meal shared with friends are all examples of common grace and are only a small forshadowing of the Meal we will share in God's Kingdom.

Comments

LISA said…
That makes me want to work hard to be a great cook and to do it all without complaining....what a legacy we can leave...Oh boy...I have a long way to go...good thing I don't have Grandkids yet!
Elizabeth said…
Well, Lisa, I think you have the great cook thing down!

Popular Posts