Every month my oldest daughter and I go out to eat. It’s one of the things I most look forward to. I had long desired to create some consistency in doing Daddy Daughter time but had often struggled in what was realistic and doable knowing full well that I have two other daughters. I was well aware that whatever the two of us decided to do would be an expectation for the others.
Originally we wanted to dine at 12 different establishments. Yet last night Quiznos was just calling our name, even though we had already eaten there. We both got the classic Italian.
She likes hers with all the green stuff. I do too, but I also add black olives, onions, tomatoes, and red wine vinaigrette. We also got some chips: Cheddar Harvest Sunchips for her and Taco flavor Doritos for me. She also got a Pineapple Peach Snapple. Sure it looked like a common dinner, but for us, it was sublime.
I’m hungry just thinking about it now.
So we took it all to go, and we were eating in our kitchen. The rest of the family was gone and then she says –
“Whoever came up with the idea of doing things around food was brilliant.”
She is so right.
She is so my daughter.
Scripture is jam-packed with stories of fellowship and food, of “doing things around food” as Lydia said. The whole story starts in a garden, and gardens (when done right) lead to food. It talks about almonds, figs, grapes, salt, bread, fish, lamb, cheese, milk, and honey to name a few.
Several years back we did a series called Breakfast Lunch and Dinner. It’s focus was Jesus and food.
Before Jesus began his end on earth, he shared a meal with his disciples. While Peter was eating breakfast on a beach, Jesus appeared and extended grace. When the thousands were hungry for wisdom, authority, and mercy of Jesus, he recognized their physical hunger and miraculously fed them from some fish and bread. When a father was reunited with his son who had rejected him, he celebrated with steaks for everyone (or killing the fattened calf).
We live in a world where our use of technology (in its many forms) makes us feel intelligent, at least more intelligent than ancient people, and yet the Bible would indicate that they understood the power of connection around food more than what our habits would suggest we do. Ancient people were more in touch with God’s design for food and connection than we are.
My younger brother attends River Valley Church, and last year they did a series entitled “Reclaim the Table.” In one of their discussion guides, they stated:
“The table was created by God, and it’s an amazing tool for us to connect with and disciple each other. While the family dinner used to be 90 minutes long, it’s now only 12 minutes. Our culture has made it harder to have family dinners and to take time to connect over meals, but we have an opportunity as God’s Church to use the table to create authentic relationships and bring each other closer to Jesus.”
Wow! Just think about all that we are missing out on by not having those other 78 minutes! What I am observing is that we wouldn’t even know what to do if we did take time for longer meals. Most families have a tv on and now a phone out during the entire meal.
What if we could reclaim the dinner table? Even for one night a week?
One of the resources that River Valley Church made to help initiate intentionality were Dinner Table Questions. Our family has enjoyed using these questions. Here is a link to some similar questions that your family might be able to use.
