Come Lord Jesus, be our guest.
Let this food to us be blessed. Amen.
I truly believe from the depths of my heart that mealtimes can be the one activity that consistently connects a family in a special way. (Other than prayer at bedtime).
Every one of us is busy!
How to control Mealtime Madness:
Ponder – think about what is going to be served.
Plan – make and stick to a menu plan at least 3 times a week.
Purchase –grocery shop for what is needed for the week or month of meals.
Prepare & Preserve – use a slow cooker to assist in meal prep and learn freezer prep techniques to preserve what you prepare in advance.
Present – offer (present) the meal prepared to those you love and BE PRESENT yourself at the table and let the family enjoy having YOU sit with them.
My passion for mealtime planning is a very personal one. I was married to a man who lost his eyesight from diabetes in his early 20’s. When we married it was important that I learned ways to make meals that would be easy for him heat and eat while I was at work.
When our daughters came along, it became even more important that I had at least three meals a week planned, prepared and ready to go at a moment’s notice for my family. It simply made life easier. I discovered having that one area of my life organized made a BIG difference in how I handled other areas of my life as a wife and Mom.
What I didn’t know while doing this all those years was God was using that time for my daughters to get to know their father more intimately because of having mealtimes together. It was a time where my girls felt free to talk about their day and spend quality time together as a family. Of course we were busy – Girl Scouts, flute lessons, ice skating lessons, Awanas club and Sunday School, after school activities, sleepovers and more.
My husband passed in 1994, my girls were 11 and 9 at that time. I see how God used those mealtimes for my girls to get 30 years of their dad rolled up into 10 years together. They knew their daddy!
After his passing, I also saw the importance of maintaining regular mealtimes to help in the healing process of that loss.
We always had an extra space at the table to invite family and friends for a meal. It made having that empty chair at the table less painful. Oh, the laughter we shared with the boy’s next store, or the girl’s best friends when they came to eat at least once a week. It was a hoot!
My prayer is that you will think about making mealtimes a priority in your home. If you find yourself floundering or frazzled, feeling like you are getting nowhere, maybe organizing mealtimes is a good place to start to bring balance in your home
Mealtimes nourish our bodies and provide rest for our souls! It’s a time God will use to bless your family in ways you can’t even imagine.
Matthew 11:28-29New International Version (NIV)
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Beth Bergren – Speaker, Teacher, Writer, Friend
At Mom’s Table – Homemaking Mentor
Check out her website: www.bethbergren.com
What mealtime traditions do you have in your family? How have you glorified God through mealtime?
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