Feeding sheep- part 1

The main meal of the day?

The evening meal.

I mean, they say breakfast is the most important meal of the day right? Yet they don't write ( as many) books or dedicate (as many) blogs or run (as many) case studies about DINNER.

Dinner is the giant question mark that thwarts the successful ending of any day. 

The question that throws the bona fide meal-preparer in the house into vertigo?!

 "What's for dinner?" 

Ah yes, my day was going splendidly and then you have to pop the question- I mean ,[loosens collar] What's with the third degree? Man, is it hot in here to you? Orrrr is it just me? [looks around at the puzzled faces] Oh- OK, never mind- it's just me....

No doubt about it, there are fortunes being built off of the intimidation of feeding the same group of people night after night with something they will want to eat and (here's the kicker) that will nourish their bodies. One-liners and in-the-bag statements have been born from this gauntlet of a task:

"Eat what I put in front of you"

"Be thankful for your (insert offensive food item of the evening here), some people would (insert extreme action of choice for emphasis) to have that."

" Oh but they're so good for you!"

" Yes we just had this 3 days ago- you're welcome to eat , hmm lets's see- nothing, if you'd like."

 and so on and so forth,and what have you.

Of course there are strategies of attack on this feat. Hat's off to the dedicated meal planner. I envy you.

But imagine, the task of feeding a group of people week after week who can opt to leave if they don't like what you feed them. Imagine preparing a meal for a crowd with mixed tastes and mixed backgrounds, and various tolerances. Imagine the pressure of trying to feed everyone what they need and what they'll enjoy with [GASP!] the same meal. 

I mean your family is one thing, but a group of unrelated people trying to become a family...?

I think you can get the picture.

And from the perspective of a mother who feeds her tribe daily with the grace of God, and Worship Leader who God entrusts to do the same with my church family, or the Pastor seeking the Lord daily for a weekly word- talk about the weight. 

How do you prepare a meal for such a diverse group without offending someone? I mean do I give them the tried and true one-liners? [Reference above]

As I was pondering this the Spirit spoke to me

"If you love me, feed my sheep"  I paused. Again the whisper in my heart pressed beneath my chest.

"Feed my sheep"

My response? "Yes , Father. Now, how?"

to be continued...